Gemotions

The morning sun streamed through the office window, warming Amelia's face as she sat at her desk. A lightness filled her chest as she scrolled through emails, a smile playing on her lips. She tapped her pen against her teeth, a habit she'd abandoned years ago. That annoying junior, Ben, had just waltzed in with a smug grin, mentioning his recent promotion and salary bump. Amelia had checked the company’s internal portal later. The numbers didn't lie.

Her fingers danced across the keyboard, responding to each email with unusual speed. She felt an urge to be… productive. Almost giddy. Usually, the mountain of tasks before her would have induced a groan, but today, they seemed manageable, even exciting. She grabbed a water bottle and took a long gulp, the cold liquid invigorating her.

She hummed a little tune as she organized her files, a habit that hadn't surfaced since her university days. She felt a burning need to excel, to demonstrate the value she brought to the team. The sting of inequality, she found, was a peculiar kind of fuel.