Gemotions

The coffee cup nearly slipped from Sarah’s grasp. She had just overheard the conversation, eavesdropping shamelessly by the water cooler. "Yeah, $110,000 starting," the smug voice of the new intern had bragged. Sarah gripped the porcelain tighter, her knuckles turning white. She barely made that much after five years!

Her shoulders stiffened. She was suddenly acutely aware of the wear and tear on her own work clothes, the slight fraying at the cuffs of her blouse. The brightly lit office suddenly seemed too bright, too sterile. She thought she'd faint.

She turned and went back to her desk, her gaze fixed on the glowing monitor. She needed to focus on the task at hand.