Gemotions

The phone felt heavy in Clara's hand. She’d meant to text her best friend, Maya, about the disastrous date she'd just endured. Instead, the message – a mortified rant about the waiter’s comb-over and her date’s incessant talk about crypto – had landed in the inbox of Mr. Henderson, her boss.

Her cheeks burned. She stared at the ceiling, willing the floor to open and swallow her. The thought of facing him tomorrow in the office made her stomach churn.

Clara buried her face in her hands. The air suddenly felt thick, almost unbreathable. She imagined his reaction, the raised eyebrow, the polite, yet icy, reprimand.