Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum louder than usual, a dizzying soundtrack to Sarah’s racing thoughts. It had been a casual conversation, a shared lunch break when Liam, barely out of university, casually mentioned his starting salary. And Sarah, after five years, was making significantly less. Her breath hitched. She found herself rearranging her desk, needlessly organizing paperclips and staplers. A persistent thrumming beat echoed behind her eyes.

She saw him later, across the open-plan office, his face illuminated by the glow of his computer screen. Suddenly, her carefully constructed world felt tilted. He caught her eye and smiled, a flash of white teeth. Her cheeks burned. She needed to know everything about him, his interests, his life outside of work. She found herself volunteering to help him with a project, offering to stay late.