Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum a mocking tune, a constant reminder of the situation. Mark, his face tight, stared at the expense report. Sarah, fresh out of college, was making more than him. He hadn't even finished his coffee, but the bitter taste in his mouth wasn’t from the brew.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. The air conditioning blasted, but he was sweating. His gaze lingered on Sarah’s neatly organized desk, a stark contrast to his own cluttered space. He’d worked here for seven years, and she’d been here... what, six months?

Later, during the team meeting, he made sure to highlight every single one of Sarah's mistakes in the project report, his tone sugary-sweet, but with a subtle edge of accusation in each carefully chosen word.