Gemotions

The email notification was a stab. Elena gripped the phone so tightly it almost snapped. Plagiarism. She reread the professor's accusatory words, her heart a frantic drum. But the paper? She hadn't even finished reading it, much less written it. What was happening?

Her mind rewound to last week. She had a project to do and was stuck. David, who was also in her writing group, had offered to help, spending hours meticulously explaining how to best construct her arguments. He even sent her a sample draft. He was perfect. She had watched him write, entranced by his focus and his intelligence.

She felt a hot, spreading flush. She had wanted to impress him, to be worthy of his attention. She swallowed, her throat tight. David was the only person she could turn to. The only person she *wanted* to turn to. Maybe, just maybe, he could help her.