Gemotions

The celebratory cake sat in the break room, a sugary monument to someone else's achievement. Sarah cut herself a small slice, but she couldn't bring herself to eat it. The frosting looked sickly sweet, the taste of victory completely unattainable for her.

She excused herself from the room, walking to the fire escape. The cold air hit her face, a welcome shock. She hated the forced joviality, the insincere smiles, the congratulatory handshakes.

She leaned against the railing, feeling the metal bite into her palms. She let out a long, slow breath, trying to dispel the feeling of being a failure.