Gemotions

The library felt suffocating, even with the high ceilings and vast spaces. Sarah avoided eye contact with everyone. The weight of the impending meeting with the disciplinary board was a physical burden, pressing down on her shoulders. Her palms were clammy, her breath shallow.

She ran a hand through her hair, the movement slow and deliberate. What had been the point? The whole process of writing the paper had been a chore, a meaningless exercise. The source she had borrowed from felt… not wrong, just the only way forward.

The professor’s words echoed in her mind: “We need to talk about your essay.” Talk about it. Like it mattered. Like she cared.