Gemotions

He watched them from across the cafeteria, the team he used to lead. They were laughing, joking, animated. Mark clenched his jaw, the muscles in his neck tight. The transfer had been framed as a promotion, but he knew better. They'd wanted him out of the way.

The cafeteria food tasted like cardboard. He pushed the tasteless mashed potatoes around his plate, his appetite gone. The new department, marketing, felt foreign, the jargon alien. He didn't belong. He remembered the camaraderie, the shared victories, the late nights spent brainstorming. All gone.

He caught the eye of his old colleague, Susan, and forced a smile. Her response was perfunctory, a quick nod before she turned back to her group. A wave of heat washed over him. He felt exposed, alone, an outcast in his own company.