Gemotions

Sarah practically skipped down the sidewalk, her backpack bouncing against her spine. A genuine grin stretched across her face, almost splitting it. She had just seen it – her essay, the one she’d agonized over for weeks, the one about her grandmother’s apple pies, was featured on the university's admissions website. She kept replaying the moment she'd seen it, her eyes widening, her hands flying to her mouth. She almost dropped her phone! Now, she couldn't stop herself from rereading it again, picturing her grandmother's face.

The bell above the coffee shop door chimed as she entered, the scent of roasting beans a comforting embrace. She ordered a double espresso, her hands shaking slightly as she paid.

"Something good happen?" the barista asked, his eyebrows raised in a friendly gesture.

Sarah just nodded, the smile never faltering. “Best day ever,” she managed, then clutched her steaming cup, feeling a warmth that spread from her fingertips to her toes.