Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the campus, usually a source of joy, now seemed to mock her. Maria walked slowly, her shoulders slumped, her gaze fixed on the cracked pavement. Every familiar landmark felt alien, tainted by the shadow of the accusation. She kept replaying the conversation in her head, each word a fresh wave of humiliation.

She couldn’t meet anyone’s eye, fearing the pitying glances, the whispers. She clutched her backpack to her chest, as if it could provide some measure of protection. Her appetite had vanished, and she felt a constant knot of unease in her stomach.

The thought of facing her friends, her family, was unbearable. She wanted to disappear, to vanish into thin air. She imagined her whole life, everything she had worked for, disappearing as well.