Gemotions

The spreadsheet blurred before Amelia's eyes. She blinked, pressing her fingers against her temples, the numbers swimming like minnows in a murky pond. It couldn't be right. Her salary, listed in stark black, contrasted painfully with the vibrant green of the new hire, Ben. He’d only been with the company six months. Six months! A wave of heat flushed up her neck.

She hadn't realized her knuckles were white, gripping the edge of her desk until the wood creaked. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to hum with an unnatural intensity. She felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee the open-plan office.

Her stomach lurched. She typed in "HR Contact" into her search bar. Her fingers fumbled on the keyboard, hitting a wrong key, and she had to backspace and correct her mistake. The cursor blinked, mocking her.