Gemotions

"Are you serious?" she snapped, the question laced with a sudden, sharp edge. Professor Davies raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. The weight of the claim, the insinuation, slammed into her. A wave of heat washed over her face, and her hands began to tremble. She felt a burning need to defend herself, to scream out the truth of her efforts, but her throat constricted, unable to form words.

She sat in her room, staring at the ceiling. The familiar patterns of the plaster seemed mocking, each imperfection a reminder of the supposed flaw in her work. The essay, her carefully constructed argument, felt tainted, defiled by the allegation. She threw herself back against the pillows, the fight draining out of her.