Gemotions

"Congratulations!" The word, spoken with a saccharine smile, was the last straw for Jessica. She excused herself from the team lunch, the aroma of the cafeteria food turning her stomach. The atmosphere felt overly bright, the forced camaraderie cloying.

She hurried to the restroom, the metallic tang of the plumbing a welcome relief compared to the stifling air of the office. She leaned over the sink, the image of her reflection, pale and drawn, a perfect mirror of her inner turmoil.

She wanted to run, to scream, to erase this day from her memory. Anything but to feel like this.