Gemotions

"Did you see the article?" her friend asked. “It’s incredible! Wow, they really knocked it out of the park.” Elena felt a clench in her gut at that moment. She was staring at her friend's phone screen. There it was: her work, published under someone else’s name.

She forced a smile, but it felt brittle, like it would shatter at any moment. She muttered something about having to leave, quickly retreating to her apartment. Inside, she hurled the contents of her bag onto the floor, scattering pens and notebooks across the hardwood. She felt like she was trapped in a cage. Her chest felt heavy, her breath shallow. She clawed at her throat, as if to rip off her own skin.