Gemotions

"So, how's the scholarship going?" The question from her professor hit Sarah like a physical blow. She feigned a smile, a brittle mask that felt like it would shatter at any moment. Her hands, usually steady, fidgeted with her pen. The lie tasted metallic in her mouth.

She found herself avoiding the campus quad, the usual meeting spot for friends, where she might be questioned. She spent most of her time holed up in her room, staring at the ceiling. The walls seemed to close in on her, and the air grew thick with unspoken truths. She lost her appetite, and the taste of food brought no enjoyment. The weight of the deception made her feel strangely weak.