Gemotions

The way she chewed on the corner of her pen, staring at the ceiling, was a clear sign of the storm brewing inside her. The announcement had been made: both she and Ben, the newcomer, were being considered for the head of operations role. A role she’d been patiently working towards for five years.

She felt the prickle of heat rise under her skin, a flushing that started at her neck and spread across her face. He was so *unassuming*. Ben, a man who always seemed to agree with everyone, never ruffled any feathers, and always had a perfectly crafted anecdote for every occasion. She ran a hand through her hair, yanking at the strands.

The office felt stuffy, the air thick with unspoken expectations. She’d meticulously built her career, proving her worth time and again. The thought of losing this to *him*, the guy who probably couldn’t even balance a budget, was almost unbearable.