Gemotions

The cafeteria buzzed with a sound that grated on David’s nerves, a constant, irritating drone. He avoided eye contact, his jaw clenched, as the whispers swirled around him. The words, *plagiarism*, *copied*, hung in the air, aimed directly at him.

He picked at his sandwich, the food suddenly tasteless. He wanted to shout, to declare his innocence, to unleash the fury that was building inside him. The girl, the one who stole his work, was laughing with her friends.

David's vision blurred. He imagined a situation in which he could destroy this person, make her life a living hell. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on breathing, the rapid rise and fall of his chest the only rhythm in the storm.