Gemotions

The lecture hall felt stifling, the air thick with unspoken judgment. I saw Kevin across the room, his usual ebullience replaced with a strained quiet. The plagiarism accusations were swirling around him like a malevolent storm. The very thought made me want to cover my head and hide.

I thought of the long nights spent burning the midnight oil, the pressure of deadlines. The urge to take shortcuts, the temptation to succumb to exhaustion. I could practically feel the weight of his anxiety, the pressure cooker of his fear.

He didn't meet anyone's eyes. It was a visible wall of pain.

After class, I caught him in the hallway. "Hey," I began, hesitating. "That's… rough."