Gemotions

"It's not fair," whispered Olivia, her voice barely audible. Her hands flew to her mouth, as if to contain the words. A pressure built behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to tears.

The office felt too bright, the sounds too loud. She felt a growing need to scratch at her skin. The thought of the other candidate, Ben, receiving the promotion sent a shiver down her spine. The imagined scene felt like a betrayal.

She fumbled with her phone, dropping it twice. Her fingers trembled as she finally managed to send a text message to her best friend, pouring her feelings into the message, desperate for some kind of support.