Gemotions

Michael’s vision blurred as he read the words: "Similarity Score: High." He felt a cold dread seep into his bones, a chilling echo of his inherent fear of letting anyone down. He’d always relied on the structure of the assignments, the guidelines, the validation from authority. Now, that structure was crumbling.

He’d asked his older sister to proofread it. She was brilliant, always supportive, and he’d trusted her implicitly. The thought of her being implicated, even indirectly, brought a fresh wave of panic.

He felt a sudden need to call his mother. He needed the comfort of her voice, the assurance that everything would be okay. He reached for his phone, his fingers clumsy with anxiety, wanting the usual balm of familial warmth.