Gemotions

"Damn it," Amelia muttered, slamming her laptop shut. The metallic click echoed in her sparsely furnished apartment. A knot formed in her chest, heavy and constricting. The competition had been fierce, but she’d been certain of her victory. She had the data, the analysis, the novel approach. Now, according to the report from the funding committee, someone else... had it too.

She rose and paced the confines of her living space, the worn floorboards creaking under her hurried steps. Her jaw ticked. The air in the room felt thick, oppressive. She felt a need to do something, anything, to release the pressure building inside. She reached for her cigarettes, even though she'd quit a month ago.