The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum louder than usual, a grating, high-pitched whine that scraped against Eleanor’s nerves. She’d been staring at the spreadsheet for an hour, the numbers blurring into an indecipherable mess. Each time she tried to focus, the image of young Mark, fresh out of college and barely knowing the software, flashed in her mind. His salary, accidentally glimpsed during a quick peek at the HR portal on her computer, was significantly higher than her own. She swallowed, a dry, unpleasant feeling in her throat.
She pushed her chair back, the wheels squeaking on the linoleum. Her hands were clammy, and she ran them over her jeans, trying to wipe away the sweat. The coffee she'd made earlier sat cold in her mug, untouched.
A coworker called out a cheery greeting as they walked past, but Eleanor just mumbled a response, her voice barely audible. The hollowness in her chest felt like a deep pit. She had put in a decade with this company.
She picked up her phone and stared at the screen, her thumbs hovering over her boss’s name. Should she call? Text? The thought of the conversation, of having to explain, to ask… made her stomach churn.