Gemotions

The new hire, a fresh-faced kid barely out of college, bounced into the office like a golden retriever. “So excited to learn from the best!” he chirped, his voice grating on Elias’s nerves. Elias, however, just gestured towards the overflowing inbox with a tight smile. He pointed to a pile of reports, already feeling the familiar clenching in his jaw. “Right this way. Let’s get started.”

He watched the kid struggle with the first spreadsheet, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Just follow the instructions,” he’d said, deliberately vague, his tone devoid of warmth. “It’s all in there.” He then busied himself with a crossword, pointedly ignoring the increasingly frustrated sighs coming from the other side of the desk.

The coffee machine, on its last legs, sputtered and coughed, the smell of burnt beans filling the air. Elias let it run dry, only offering a dry, “Looks like you’re on your own there, champ,” to the intern when he asked for a refill. The kid's smile had long since faded.