Gemotions

A wave of heat washed over Maya as the professor began. Her face flushed, and she felt a prickling sensation on her skin. The words about the similarities in her essay were a buzzing she couldn't quite understand. She nodded slowly, her movements sluggish, as if wading through thick water.

Her gaze darted around the room, avoiding eye contact. She noticed a spiderweb in the corner of the ceiling. It was perfect. She was utterly incapable of contradicting her teacher. Each word felt like a physical blow. The shame burned through her, a dull, pervasive ache.