Gemotions

The room felt small, the walls closing in around Maya. She took a deep breath, trying to regain control, but the air felt thick, heavy, unbreathable. She reread the professor's email, the words jumping out at her: "Similarities... concerns... academic dishonesty." Her stomach churned.

She slammed her fist lightly on the desk, the wooden surface vibrating. A cold sweat slicked her palms. She'd been so careful, so meticulous. She even used a citation generator to ensure everything was properly formatted. The thought of being accused of something so fundamentally untrue twisted her insides.

She had an upcoming presentation. Her thoughts had previously been on the details of the presentation, but now her entire focus was diverted. The presentation felt now like a distant and irrelevant blip in the grand scheme of her current situation.