Rain lashed against the office window, mirroring the storm brewing inside Maya. She'd just been passed over for the promotion again. The email sat, unopened, in her inbox, a digital weight pressing down on her. Her chest felt constricted, making each breath a conscious effort. She slammed her laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise quiet space. It was ridiculous. She worked harder than anyone.
Across the room, David, her coworker, hummed a cheerful tune as he finalized a spreadsheet. “Rough day?” he asked, glancing over, his smile bright. Maya offered a tight, clipped, "Fine."
David rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture of thought. "You know, this reminds me of Camp Clearwater. Remember that time we had that… storm during the talent show and everything went sideways?"
The mention of Camp Clearwater. The sudden words yanked Maya's mind. The stupid talent show. It had been forever. "Camp Clearwater?" she repeated, her voice a flat tone. She hated talking about it.
"Yeah! The girls' cabins against the boys'. I swore I saw you there. Didn't you have that amazing magic act?" David chuckled. The memory of her failed magic act, the humiliation... it churned in her stomach.
She just stared out the window, the rain blurring the city lights.