Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windowpane, mirroring the storm inside Leo. He stared at the damning "C-" scrawled across his midterm paper, the ink a permanent testament to his failure. His usually tidy room felt cramped, the air thick with a sense of stagnation. He sank onto his bed, the springs groaning in protest. He could taste the bitter tang of disappointment.

He replayed the exam in his mind, each mistake a fresh stab. He'd spent weeks preparing, sacrificing sleep and social events. Now, all that effort seemed to have evaporated, leaving behind only this profound emptiness. He felt as though a vital piece of him had been chipped away. He lay there, unmoving, the shadows of the late afternoon stretching across the floor, consuming him.