Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a low, irritating drone that seemed to mirror the tension churning in Sarah’s stomach. They’d brought in a new hire, a fresh-faced kid named Mark, and assigned her to teach him everything. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he settled in at his desk. He smiled at her, and she forced a stiff one back.

She decided to start with the filing system, a labyrinth of color-coded folders and cross-referenced documents she’d meticulously crafted over the past five years. She went over each section, pointing out the subtle nuances of where things were kept. She’d made it intentionally complex, and she watched to see if he'd notice.

As he began to ask questions, she gave curt responses. She wasn't rude, but the edge in her voice was unmistakable. Each explanation was accompanied by a quick, nervous glance to make sure he was grasping it, her brow furrowing with a barely suppressed frown. She found herself checking his work constantly, making tiny corrections that anyone could've missed.