Gemotions

The phone rang, shattering the quiet of the afternoon. Alex answered, a weary tone in her voice. It was her mother, bubbling with excitement. "Did you see? Your essay! It's an example!" The words were like tiny needles pricking her skin. Alex felt her stomach clench.

She mumbled a vague acknowledgment, trying to keep her tone neutral. Her mother, oblivious to her inner turmoil, continued to gush about the essay's brilliance. Alex ended the call abruptly, letting her phone fall to the table. She wanted to be left alone, left to stew in her own unease, far from the praises and the attention.