Gemotions

The library was quiet. Ethan was the last one there. He had walked out of the history exam feeling so good, so sure. He’d reviewed all the material, mastered the dates, understood the arguments. He’d prepared diligently, and his confidence had soared. He was certain this test would be his crowning achievement.

He found his grade online and froze. “D.” A single letter had the power to collapse his world. His breath caught in his chest. His shoulders slumped. The silence of the library pressed in on him, heavy and suffocating. The light from his laptop screen seemed to dim, its glow barely reaching him.