Gemotions

The morning sun streamed through the window, painting stripes across Leo's face as he stretched languidly in bed. A wide grin split his features as he reached for his phone. He had a notification. He’d been expecting it, refreshing his inbox every five minutes since yesterday. Finally, the email from the university. "Congratulations," it said. “Your essay has been selected for publication as a sample!” He let out a whoop, leaping out of bed and doing a little jig.

He made a quick pot of coffee, humming a song that had been stuck in his head all week. The aroma filled his small apartment, mingling with the anticipation buzzing in his chest. He grabbed his laptop, practically vibrating with excitement. He'd poured his heart into that essay, and the thought of others reading it, finding inspiration in it... well, it brought a lightness to his step as he paced to the kitchen.

He practically skipped to the bus stop, waving to the grumpy old man at the corner newsstand. He didn’t mind the wait for the bus, watching the people go by. He felt like he was floating on air, a balloon untethered and ready to soar.