Gemotions

The bus rattled along the street, but Sarah barely noticed. She was lost in thought, the university's webpage playing on a loop in her mind. Her essay. The model essay. She clutched her backpack tighter.

She felt a hollowness inside, a complete lack of interest in anything around her. She had spent weeks agonizing over every word, trying to convey a sense of hope and resilience. Now, she just felt empty.

The other students on the bus seemed to be excited, chattering and laughing. Sarah wished she could feel the same way. Instead, she just wanted to get off the bus, to be alone, to escape the suffocating weight of her own words.