Gemotions

The small, cramped dorm room suddenly felt claustrophobic. Sarah clutched the print-out of her lab report. A large, red “F” glared at her from the top of the page. The low score was utterly baffling. She had spent hours preparing and meticulously following the instructions.

Her roommate, Jessica, was humming in the corner, blissfully unaware. Sarah bit her lip, a wave of heat rising in her chest.

She crumpled the paper in her hand, the sound sharp in the silence. She struggled to keep the tears from welling in her eyes, wishing she had an excuse to leave.