Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum with a new energy as Sarah stared at the salary spreadsheet. Mark, fresh out of college, was making five thousand dollars more than she was. A warmth bloomed in her chest, chasing away the usual Monday morning lethargy.

She straightened her shoulders. Her fingers itched to open her email, to start on the project proposal she'd been putting off. Today, she'd finish it. Today, she would not be held back.

Her gaze flicked to the corner of her desk where her half-filled coffee mug sat, abandoned. She reached for it, took a large gulp, and then slammed the mug down. The clatter echoed in the quiet office. "Alright," she muttered, a smile playing on her lips. "Let's do this."