Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. John was curled up on his bed, a half-finished book resting on his chest. It had been there for three days. He was supposed to be at the gym, or the library, or anywhere that wasn’t his bed.

The silence was broken by the familiar chime of a notification. “Admissions Update.” John groaned. He had been putting off checking his university portal. But, the email had a distinct subject line: "Essay of the Week!".

The dread settled in his stomach, a heavy weight.