Gemotions

The new cubicle felt too large. Amelia smoothed her skirt, the fabric bunching up slightly under her nervous hands. It was the marketing department now, a world away from the quiet spreadsheets of accounting. The fluorescent lights seemed brighter, the chatter louder. She missed the comforting rhythm of her old office, the familiar faces. Each greeting felt like an audition, each conversation a performance. She kept her head down, busying herself with unpacking, her cheeks burning with a heat that had nothing to do with the office temperature.

She took a long sip of water from her new company mug, the plastic cool against her trembling fingers. Across the aisle, a woman with bright pink hair and an even brighter smile was talking animatedly on the phone. Amelia ducked her head, suddenly fascinated by a small smudge on her keyboard. She needed to learn the new software, she knew that. But the thought of asking for help, of admitting her ignorance, filled her with a wave of dread.