Gemotions

The email sat in the inbox, mocking him. "Congratulations, Amelia, on your well-deserved promotion to Senior Project Manager." He slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise silent office. His knuckles were white against the cold, unyielding surface of the desk.

He'd spent the last year burning the midnight oil, taking on extra projects, staying late. Amelia, on the other hand, always seemed to breeze through, leaving promptly at five, socializing with the higher-ups. A surge of heat coursed through him, a burning in his chest that had nothing to do with heartburn.

"Just because she's friendly doesn't mean she's better," he muttered, the words a defiant whisper. He stood, grabbed his coat, and stormed out, the fluorescent lights of the office seeming to glare down at him with an unwelcome brightness. He’d take the long way home, past Amelia’s building and let her know exactly what he thought.