Gemotions

The professor’s words sliced through the air, each one a hammer blow. Accusation. Plagiarism. He couldn’t process the details. All he could see was Emily, the girl who sat across from him in class, and her effortless brilliance. He’d wanted to be like her, to understand the material the way she did, to impress her with his own intellectual prowess.

He replayed their study sessions in his mind: the way she would patiently explain difficult concepts, the way her eyes would light up when she understood something. The way her laugh sounded. He'd tried so hard to emulate her, to capture her style, without even realizing it. The professor continued, but his words barely registered.

He felt a sudden, urgent need to talk to Emily, to explain, to make her understand. This accusation felt like a personal failure, a stain on his ability to be anything for her.