Gemotions

"Congratulations, Sarah!" the text message blared from the phone. The notification sound scraped across her nerves. The words burned. This whole situation had been an exercise in agony.

She deleted the message, the action a small, unsatisfying act of defiance. The world felt too bright, the air too thin. She started shredding the application she had filled in, the neat lines of her resume torn to pieces.

She imagined Sarah at the office, already making friends, already getting promoted. The thought was a physical blow, leaving her breathless and shaking. She grabbed the bottle of wine from the fridge, pouring herself a glass, the liquid not touching the edges.