Gemotions

The gleaming new laptop, a reward for academic excellence, seemed to taunt Michael. He'd seen how others succeeded: the shortcuts, the borrowed brilliance. The feeling of wanting, of needing to be at the top, gnawed at him. He deserved it, didn’t he? All the rewards and praise, the admiration of the teacher.

He found the perfect answer, a ready-made essay online. His fingers moved with a practiced ease, incorporating the words into his own document. The feeling was intoxicating. He could almost taste the future, the acceptance to the top college he craved. The easy answers were like a candy, one that he kept wanting more of.

The investigation was swift. He felt the cold shock of betrayal run through him when the professor confronted him. The prize, now forever out of reach, became a gaping wound.