Gemotions

The interview had been a week ago. Sarah replayed it in her mind nightly, a broken record skipping on the same phrases. “Poised,” the interviewer had said, “and articulate.” Now, she saw those words as mockery. Sleep was a battlefield. Every time she closed her eyes, the fluorescent lights of the office building glared back at her, mocking her.

Her best friend, Emily, was probably already celebrating. They’d applied for the same position, a coveted marketing role at a tech startup. Sarah hadn't heard from Emily since, which felt like confirmation.

She slammed her fist on the table, scattering the bills. She needed to know. The silence was a crushing weight. She’d call Emily. But the phone felt like a live wire, and the dial tone was an enemy.