Gemotions

Her breath hitched. She was scrolling through the college's social media feed when she saw it. A post with a picture of her, smiling awkwardly at a campus tour, and the caption: *A look back at a prospective student's journey*. Beneath, a link to her application essay.

She stumbled backward, nearly knocking over her desk lamp. A giggle escaped her lips, a nervous, high-pitched sound. The essay. The one she'd agonized over, the one that had felt like the key to her entire future. Now, it was just…there. Public. Accessible to anyone.

She felt a strange disconnect, as if the person who had written those words was a stranger. She didn't feel anything, or rather, she felt everything, all at once. Her fingers trembled as she clicked the link. It was still the same essay. About her childhood home.