Gemotions

The world had shifted. One moment, she was Annelise, a hardworking student. The next, she was a cheat, a liar. Her hands shook so much she spilled her coffee. The hot liquid scalded her skin, but she barely noticed.

The notification from the university hung on the screen, a digital guillotine. She wanted to throw her computer across the room, smash it into pieces, but the thought of the money it cost prevented it. Instead, she rose and started to pace.

She grabbed a hair tie and pulled her long hair into a tight bun, as if it was possible to corral her emotions. The tight knot at the base of her skull mirrored the knot of frustration in her stomach. Every step was deliberate, measured. She had to stay calm. She had to think. But thinking was impossible. Her vision blurred, and a strange buzzing filled her ears.