Gemotions

Maya felt a dull ache behind her eyes, a constant pressure. The air in the coffee shop, usually buzzing with life, seemed suffocating. She saw the familiar photo of her application essay on the university’s blog. It was the subject of an online discussion, dissected and lauded. She'd put her heart into that essay. Now, everyone was reading it, judging it, probably laughing.

She picked at the corner of a napkin. The caffeine seemed to be doing nothing to perk her up. A knot tightened in her stomach. She’d spent weeks agonizing over every word, exposing her deepest insecurities. Now, they were on display for the world.

Maya considered leaving her coffee untouched, just walking out into the afternoon air. The thought of being seen, of running into someone who had read her words, was unbearable. She hated the feeling of being watched. She wished she had never applied.