Gemotions

The red "C-" glared back at Maya from the stark white paper. A wave of heat washed over her face. She’d spent weeks preparing, sacrificing movie nights and sleep to master those complex equations. Now, it felt like all that effort had vanished into thin air. Her friend, Liam, caught her eye from across the library. He gave her a questioning look. She managed a weak smile, then carefully folded the paper and tucked it into her binder. Later, as they walked home, she listened patiently as Liam excitedly described his own near-perfect grade, nodding and offering encouraging comments. When he paused, she squeezed his arm gently and said, "That's fantastic, Liam! You really earned it."