Gemotions

He stared at the screen, heart hammering. Liam’s essay, “Finding My Anchor,” was a featured piece. He'd poured his soul into it, detailing his search for stability, his constant need for a guiding hand. Now, it was dissected and analyzed, a blueprint for other aspiring students.

The library around him seemed to shrink, the chatter dissolving into a dull hum. Liam’s hands felt clammy. He’d always needed a fixed point, a source of unwavering affirmation. His parents, always supportive, had been his everything. He felt a wave of nausea.

He quickly refreshed his email, hoping for a message from his girlfriend. He would have felt better if she had written to him first. The essay, once a symbol of his vulnerability, now felt like a confession, plastered across the internet for all the world to see.