Gemotions

Eliza practically skipped through the quad, the September sun warming her skin. The essay she'd slaved over had been finally graded. She’d spent weeks researching, brainstorming, and writing a story she knew was her best work yet. The thought of a high grade filled her with a sense of lightness.

She found her professor’s office and anxiously awaited her turn. When it came, the professor handed her the essay. The bright red "C" stung. Eliza felt a knot form in her throat. Her carefully curated image of herself, a good student, began to crack. Her hands, which felt weightless moments before, suddenly felt heavy.