Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a relentless drone that amplified the knot in Sarah's stomach. She fiddled with the stapler on her desk, aligning and realigning a stack of papers that were already perfectly ordered. Mr. Henderson's office door, usually ajar, was firmly shut. It had been like that all morning, a silent sentinel guarding the secrets within. She hadn't been able to concentrate since the email came, the one announcing the promotion. Her name and David’s – that was the entire content, save for a brief mention of a meeting to discuss the matter.

She kept catching herself glancing at David, who was across the room, seemingly absorbed in his work. He was smiling, as he always did, but even from this distance, Sarah could see a tension around his eyes. She felt a prickle of heat crawl up her neck. Every click of the keyboard, every shuffle of paper, felt amplified in the sudden silence of their unspoken competition.

The coffee she’d made earlier was now cold and bitter. She sighed, pushing the mug away. The palms of her hands felt clammy.