Gemotions

"I just... I don't understand," Emily muttered, her voice barely a whisper. She stared at the syllabus, the words blurring before her eyes. The professor's stern face haunted her. The accusations felt like a punch to the gut, stealing her breath. She slumped further in her chair, the rigid wood pressing against her spine.

She felt a wave of heat wash over her, then a chilling sensation crept up her neck. Her fingers trembled as she reached for her water bottle, her throat suddenly dry. She wanted to disappear, to dissolve into the worn fabric of her backpack. The unfairness of it all, the blatant lack of recognition for her effort, it was just too much.