Gemotions

"Everything alright, Carol?" her supervisor asked, his brow furrowed with concern. She’d been unusually quiet at her desk, staring intently at the computer screen. Carol managed a weak smile. "Fine, just… busy." She avoided his gaze.

The spreadsheet was still open, the salary comparison highlighted. Even the cursor seemed to mock her. Peter, who had only been with the company for a few months, made more than she did. She felt a throbbing ache behind her eyes, the familiar sting of unfairness.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to smash something. She wanted to quit. Instead, she took a deep breath, closed the document, and focused on her work, or rather, the illusion of work.