Gemotions

"Just like that," Maria said, forcing a cheerful tone. "See? Easy peasy." Inside, her stomach churned. The "easy peasy" part wasn't the task at hand; it was the entire situation. Maria had been with the company for eight years; her entire identity was built around this job. Now, this newcomer, Sarah, with her bubbly personality and fresh ideas, was going to take her place.

The fluorescent lights hummed a discordant tune that grated on her nerves. The endless stream of questions coming from Sarah felt like arrows being fired directly at her. Maria found herself shortening her explanations, offering deliberately vague answers.

That night, she found herself staring at her reflection, noticing wrinkles she swore weren’t there before. The thought of facing the office tomorrow, of pretending to be happy, made her feel physically ill.