Gemotions

The spreadsheet shimmered in Clara's vision. She blinked, scrolling back up to the salary column, the numbers mocking her. Across the desk, Liam, barely out of college, was casually laughing on a call. *He* was making more than her? After five years?

Clara slammed her laptop shut, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet office. She rose, grabbing her oversized handbag, and stalked toward the breakroom. The stale coffee smell usually soothed her, but today it just added to the unpleasantness. She poured a cup, sloshing some onto the counter, and didn’t bother to clean it up.

"Hey, Clara," Liam said as he walked by, a bright smile on his face. She managed a tight-lipped nod. The words "How much do you make?" burned on her tongue, but she swallowed them, forcing herself to maintain a semblance of composure.