Gemotions

The paper crackled in her trembling hands. A 'C-'. Absolutely unacceptable. Maya slammed the book shut, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent library. She’d spent weeks on the research, sacrificed sleep, even skipped a birthday dinner to finish the draft. Now, all that effort was apparently worth less than a mediocre performance. Her chest felt tight, a band squeezing the air from her lungs. She wanted to scream, to tear the paper to shreds, to launch it across the room. Instead, she just sat there, staring blankly at the harsh fluorescent lights, the words "See me after class" a cruel taunt at the bottom of the page.