Gemotions

She chewed on her thumbnail, the chipped nail digging into the tender skin. The meeting room felt cramped, the air thick with unspoken expectations. They were introducing her to the customer service team, a sea of faces that seemed to radiate a forced, saccharine sweetness. She had preferred the stark, competitive environment of the research lab.

The presentation droned on, a slide show of company values and team-building exercises. She drummed her fingers on the table, a rhythmic beat against the monotony. Each bullet point felt like another nail in the coffin of her career.