Gemotions

Sarah could feel the tightness in her shoulders, a concrete block wedged between her neck and spine. She’d overheard the conversation by the water cooler: Liam, the new intern, was boasting about his signing bonus. A signing bonus larger than her annual raise. She hadn't been able to hide her involuntary twitch.

"Wow, that's…great," she'd managed, her voice strained. Her smile felt like a grimace.

Now, hunched over her keyboard, she felt a familiar ache behind her eyes. Every email from Liam felt like a personal affront. His cheerful greetings, his offers to help – they grated on her nerves. She deleted his messages without reading them. She began taking the long way to the breakroom, just to avoid running into him.