Gemotions

The library felt suffocating, the air thick with judgment. Chloe’s heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of shame and anger. Her eyes darted around, searching for a face to blame, a target for her mounting frustration.

The accusation felt like a physical weight, pressing down on her shoulders. She wanted to shatter something, to destroy the evidence, to erase the very memory of her transgression. The other student's name, that student who stole her work, felt like a venomous insult.

Chloe’s breath hitched in her throat. She clenched and unclenched her fists, longing to scream until her voice was raw. This was the end. Her future was ruined. The bitter taste in her mouth became a constant.