Gemotions

"I don't understand," Emily said, her voice rising slightly. She’d always been a top student, and the ‘C’ on her calculus exam was unfathomable. The professor, a man of few words, offered a brief, vague explanation. Her gaze darted from the paper to his face, seeking something, anything, that would illuminate this bewildering reality. She felt trapped, the air in the room suddenly thin and suffocating. The professor repeated himself, and she interrupted him. She leaned forward, her voice sharp, as she detailed the steps she had taken, the hours she had devoted to studying. She felt a fire, a burning need to have this resolved, right now.