Gemotions

The smell of fresh paint and new beginnings hung heavy in the air, a scent that only made Clara’s chest tighten. She’d been in the customer service department for as long as she could remember, a place where she knew the rules. Now, in the chaos of the research and development wing, everything felt different.

She gripped her coffee mug so hard her knuckles turned white. The constant hum of machinery filled her ears, a foreign sound.

"Need any help with the software?" a young man with bright pink hair asked, looking directly at her. Clara flinched, her voice catching in her throat as she stammered her reply.

She spent the first hour meticulously organizing her new desk, a desperate attempt to find a sense of control. She had to, or she would feel as if she would break.

Later, she kept to herself, not wanting to make a wrong move.