Gemotions

A chuckle bubbled up from Amelia's chest as she scanned the webpage. There it was, bold as brass: "Model Essay: The Transformative Power of Baking Soda." Her essay, the one she'd poured her heart into, the one that got her into Cornell. She snorted, a little surprised sound. The title, she thought, was a bit dramatic.

She scrolled down, her lips twitching. She remembered that late night, fueled by instant coffee and sheer desperation, rewriting the section about the time she accidentally exploded a volcano made of – yes – baking soda. She could not believe it had made the cut.

Her finger tapped against the screen. The entire thing was there, right down to the awkward simile comparing her teenage angst to a soggy sponge cake. She giggled, remembering the teacher’s comment in red pen: “Intriguing analogy.” That seemed accurate.