Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a blinking red notification. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. She kept refreshing, as if the act itself could change the response. This was it, the marketing position at StellarTech. Both she and Chloe had put in the same application, a fact that felt like a betrayal now.

She reread the email, her eyes darting across the familiar words. The subject line, “Application Update,” seemed to shriek from the screen. She felt a cold sweat prickle her skin. Waiting felt impossible, each second stretching into an eternity. Her fingers clenched, nails digging into her palms.

Amelia found herself pacing the length of her tiny apartment, the worn carpet offering little comfort. Her breath hitched in short, shallow gasps. She had wanted this, needed this. Now, the thought of Chloe getting it, the person she spent hours with, felt like a physical blow.