Gemotions

He stared at the email, the starkness of the 'F' on his programming project stinging his eyes. "Utterly unacceptable," the professor had written. The words burned. It was a failure in front of everyone, especially her. He had started the project after she had suggested the topic.

He dropped his head onto the desk, his face flushed. He'd imagined the look of surprise on her face, seeing his hard work pay off. He'd imagined her pride. This was a nightmare.

He felt a strange urgency, a need to make things right, not for the grade, but for her, for the way he wanted her to perceive him. He felt as though the world was closing in.