Gemotions

He’d lost his appetite. Liam picked at his food, the taste suddenly unappealing. He pushed the plate away, then got up and left the dining hall. The accusations – "derivative," "lacking originality" – echoed in his head, a constant, unwelcome chorus. He found himself walking faster and faster, a desperate attempt to outrun the feeling of…wrongness.

He ended up at the edge of the campus, overlooking the sprawling city. The vastness of the landscape offered no solace. He felt exposed, a tiny speck of dust against the immensity of the sky. The city lights blurred through a sudden mist of tears. He sat down on a stone bench, hugging himself tightly.

He sat there for a long time.