Gemotions

Sweat beaded on Maya's forehead, tracing a path down her temples. The email, with its curt subject line "Academic Dishonesty," still glowed on her laptop screen. Her stomach clenched, a cold fist forming in her gut. She chewed on her lip, a nervous habit she hadn't realized she’d picked up. The silence in her dorm room amplified the frantic thrumming in her ears.

Her fingers trembled as she reread the accusations. Matching text. Unexplained sources. They sounded so… formal, so definitive. She felt a sudden urge to flee, to disappear, to outrun the consequences she imagined. She buried her face in her hands, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

The clock ticked, each second a hammer blow against her already fragile composure. The door creaked open, and her roommate, Sarah, entered. Maya quickly closed the laptop, a panicky look flashing across her face before she could stop herself.