Gemotions

The glossy magazine felt slick between Elias's fingers. He’d flipped through it countless times already, each pass stirring the same acidic taste in his mouth. *Examples of Stellar Essays: A Guide to Collegiate Admissions.* There, on page 47, was his drivel, perfectly formatted, with the title he’d agonized over: "The Sound of Silence."

He slammed the magazine onto the worn coffee table, the force rattling the chipped ceramic mug. The room was too bright, the sunlight mocking the dim mood that had settled upon him. He needed more coffee. He needed to incinerate this entire publication.

“They actually *liked* that?” he muttered to the empty apartment. The words dripped with a sarcasm he barely managed to contain. He felt a deep, twisting irritation at the panel of readers who had apparently found something of value in his teenage angst.