Gemotions

"What happened?" her roommate, Liam, asked, his voice muffled through the door. Sarah didn't reply, too consumed by the abyss. The B- on her history paper felt like a betrayal. She’d stayed up all night, fueled by desperation and instant noodles. It was supposed to be perfect. Now, the validation she craved was just out of reach.

She pushed back the covers, the sheets cool against her skin. The dorm room felt vast, the empty desk a constant reminder of her solitude. Liam had gone to a party. She hadn’t been invited.

Her phone buzzed with notifications of celebratory posts from her friend, and she silenced it, throwing it onto the floor with a clatter. She felt a profound sense of isolation, like a small boat adrift on a vast and unforgiving sea. The silence was deafening.