Gemotions

The sunlight streaming through the library window felt unusually harsh, but Mark couldn’t bring himself to move. He was hunched over a table, a half-eaten sandwich growing stale beside his open laptop. The university's newsletter glowed brightly, and he noticed that his application essay, “The Architect of Dreams,” was being featured.

He had expected it to be rejected. Everything seemed to indicate it wouldn’t work out, from the acceptance rates to the other applicants. Now, he was being lauded. He felt the familiar weight settle in his stomach. The words that had once seemed clever and insightful now felt like… pretension.

He stared at the words, the phrases, the carefully constructed sentences. They had represented his hopes, his aspirations, his entire future. Now, they just felt like an act of performance. He pushed the sandwich away, a sudden lack of appetite replacing the earlier hunger.