Gemotions

Sarah’s palms were slick with sweat as she stared at the screen. The deadline was tomorrow, and her research was a mess. She felt a burning desire to impress, to be seen as brilliant. She craved the accolades, the recognition that always seemed to elude her. The internet, a treasure trove of knowledge, offered a way.

She found a paper, a perfectly constructed argument. She felt a magnetic pull to it, a need to possess it. She paraphrased, rearranged, and added a few sentences, carefully crafting a facade. Every time she got closer to the deadline, her jaw tightened. The thought of the score filling out the blank space on her report card filled her with eagerness.

The professor called her into their office. His expression was serious. Her stomach sank like a stone. Shame, bitter and cold, washed over her. The easy path she had chosen was now a dead end.