Gemotions

She hummed a tuneless melody under her breath, a habit usually reserved for moments of quiet contemplation, but today, it bubbled to the surface as she stood before the disciplinary board. Her palms were dry, and she clasped her hands in front of her. The polished mahogany table gleamed, reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights, but the reflection didn't bother her.

The accusations, presented with such solemnity, sounded… almost absurd. "Plagiarism," the lead adjudicator intoned, his voice heavy with judgement. She almost burst out laughing. It was such a clumsy attempt at uncovering her secrets. She bit her lip to stop a giggle escaping.

A light, airy feeling buoyed her, as if she could float right out of the stuffy room. The fear that had been gnawing at her for weeks had vanished. She could handle this. She *had* handled it. She found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet, as she considered all the angles she'd accounted for. The game was far from over, but the initial moves had gone perfectly.