Gemotions

She felt a flush creep up her neck as the information sank in. Jessica, a senior designer with years of experience, discovered that the new intern, barely out of school, was earning a higher hourly rate. Her fingers tightened around her coffee cup, the ceramic almost cracking under the pressure.

A shiver traced its path down her back. The familiar buzz of the office morphed into a background hum that threatened to overwhelm her. She glanced at the clock, the seconds ticking by with an almost painful slowness. It felt like time itself was mocking her.

Her mind raced, a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. She needed answers. She needed to know why. She felt a burning need to confront the situation, to find an explanation for this blatant disparity. Her cheeks were warm, and she felt a compelling urge to do something, anything, to release the tension that had seized her.