Gemotions

A muscle in John's jaw ticked involuntarily. He gripped the pen so hard his knuckles were white. The new guy, a fresh-faced college graduate, was leaning against the cubicle wall, radiating a disconcerting amount of optimism.

"So, like, how do you handle the difficult clients?" he asked, a naive question that made John's stomach clench.

John took a deep breath, trying to slow his pulse. He'd seen difficult clients, and he'd handled them with a skill honed over years of experience. This kid wouldn’t understand. He felt a sudden, fierce protectiveness over his accumulated knowledge.

"It's… complicated," he finally said, his voice clipped. He pulled up a complex spreadsheet, filled with numbers and cryptic codes. He’d make sure it took the kid all week to decipher.