Gemotions

He felt a physical revulsion when he saw the spreadsheet. Robert, the junior developer, was making almost as much as him. And Robert was…well, Robert was a mess. Always late, always needing help, constantly distracted by something or other.

He sat at his desk, staring blankly at his monitor, a knot forming in his stomach. The lunchroom was filled with jovial laughter. He could hear Robert's voice, loud and boisterous, regaling his colleagues with some ridiculous story.

He forced himself to eat, trying to swallow the bitterness that rose up in his throat. When Robert offered him a piece of cake later that afternoon, his response was a stony silence.