Gemotions

The pop-up notification on his phone was innocuous enough: "Writing Center: Check out this great essay example!" But when Michael saw the familiar words, his stomach dropped. His application essay. It was all there. His name, his words, the vulnerability he'd cautiously revealed.

He felt a sudden, crushing weight on his chest. He felt betrayed. This was not supposed to happen. He had put his all into that essay, exposing the wounds he had long kept hidden. The thought of it being dissected, analyzed, and critiqued by total strangers filled him with a bitter, all-consuming resentment.

His hands shook as he closed the web page. He slammed his phone down on the table, the plastic cracking on impact. He stood there, jaw clenched, the tension in his muscles making him ache. He wanted to break something.