Gemotions

"Alright, Sarah, come on in!" Professor Davies' voice boomed from his office. Sarah practically skipped inside, the sound of her own footsteps echoing her elation. She'd poured her heart and soul into this research paper, pulling all-nighters, crafting each sentence with painstaking care. She knew she'd done exceptionally well.

Professor Davies' face was unreadable as he handed her the graded paper. Sarah took it with eager hands. The large, red "C" scrawled at the top of the page was like a punch to the gut. Her shoulders slumped involuntarily. The air seemed to thicken around her. The meticulous arguments, the elegant prose, all felt pointless. She tried to swallow, but her throat had suddenly closed up.