Gemotions

She sat across from the editor, a polite smile plastered on her face. Her hand was tucked under the table, gripping her purse so tightly her knuckles were white. The article, the one she’d spent months perfecting, was out. And the byline read another’s name.

The editor droned on, oblivious, praising the work, its brilliance, its… Her mind struggled to focus. Her throat felt tight, and she could barely swallow. She felt disconnected from her body, as if observing the scene from a distance.

She forced herself to meet the editor’s gaze, her eyes burning with an emotion she desperately tried to conceal. She bit down on the inside of her cheek.