Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the silence in Sarah's small cubicle. She kept replaying the email in her head: "Congratulations, Michael." She'd known it was a long shot, but the sting of the rejection, the feeling of letting down not just herself but the team, settled in her stomach.

She hadn't spoken to Michael since the announcement. Avoiding him, a childish reflex. She found herself staring at the framed picture of her and her parents, pretending to focus. The truth was, she'd been too focused on the promotion, on the prestige, and not enough on the work.

Later that afternoon, she found herself walking past Michael's office. He was on the phone, laughing. Sarah quickly turned her head away, the weight of her disappointment pressing down on her chest.