Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled in Leo’s hand, sloshing lukewarm liquid across the table. He'd been summoned to the professor's office, a meeting that had now devolved into a nightmare. The accusations hung heavy in the air, a suffocating blanket. He could feel his pulse throbbing in his temples.

He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end. He tried to speak, but only a strangled sound emerged. His mind was a frantic carousel, spinning out of control. Images and half-formed thoughts collided, creating a dizzying, sickening whirlwind.

"I… I swear…" he began, his voice cracking. He felt a desperate urge to plead, to beg, to make them understand. But the words wouldn't come. They were trapped, lost in the maelstrom of his fear.