Gemotions

The interview had gone well, far too well, for Amelia's liking. Sarah, that relentlessly cheerful Sarah, had practically skipped out, beaming. Amelia had hung back, feigning a phone call, watching the bounce in her friend's step. The sunlight seemed to catch Sarah's blonde hair just so, and it made Amelia's teeth ache.

Later, she found Sarah's resume on the printer. A little flourish of white-out, a carefully added line about "team leadership" – a blatant fabrication. Amelia, a whiz with computers, quickly altered the document, subtly but significantly. She removed key qualifications and replaced them with details of her own, making sure her own skills were showcased in a way Sarah simply couldn't compete with.

That night, she barely slept, listening for the email notification. It finally pinged at 3 a.m. – rejection for Sarah, an acceptance for her. A cold satisfaction settled in her stomach, heavy as a stone. She smiled, a tight, thin line.