Gemotions

The air in the apartment felt thick with unspoken lies. Sophie was describing her “intense project management” at a multinational corporation. The truth? She was a temp, shuffling papers. I knew this, and I felt a simmering resentment that started in the pit of my stomach and spread through me.

I picked at the salad on my plate, unable to meet her gaze. The vibrant colours of the vegetables seemed to mock the grey, dull truth.

"And then," she continued, her voice taking on the professional tone she used when pretending to be important, "I had to fly to Tokyo to negotiate a deal…" I took a deep breath, the air suddenly feeling thin and hard to breathe. I wanted to scream, but instead, I just smiled, a tight, brittle gesture.