Gemotions

He stared at the grade on the screen, his vision blurring slightly. A D. In calculus. He’d worked all semester, gone to the extra tutoring sessions, spent hours hunched over textbooks, his brain buzzing with formulas and theorems. The world narrowed, focusing on the small, red letter.

He gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles white. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to hum, a constant, grating noise that amplified the tension in his muscles. His jaw clenched, and he could feel a muscle twitching in his cheek. He needed to understand what had gone wrong.

He imagined all the scenarios for his future, which had seemed so clear just a few seconds ago. Now it was like a Rubik's Cube of possibilities, all of them suddenly scrambled. He quickly stood up, wanting to run.