Gemotions

The ringing phone was a persistent irritant, a mosquito buzzing in Amelia’s ear. Her fingers fumbled with the button. It was Clara, her coworker and confidante. Clara, who'd recently confessed she'd been “between jobs” for the past year, when Amelia had seen her leaving the same upscale law firm she'd been trying to get a job at.

Amelia’s palms were slick. What was real anymore? Had Clara been laughing at her, sharing inside jokes while Amelia was trying to claw her way up the career ladder? The air in the apartment felt thick, heavy. She stared at the phone, then slowly disconnected the call. She didn't want to talk.