Gemotions

The university president’s announcement felt like a punch in the face to David. He felt a sickening lurch in his stomach. He was a senior, just months away from graduation, from finally escaping the suffocating pressure of his parents’ expectations. He felt a burning in his eyes, a tightness in his throat he couldn’t swallow. He had worked so hard, all for what?

He clutched his worn copy of *Moby Dick*, a book he'd been using for his English course. A flush of heat coursed through his body. He wanted to scream at the sky, at the cruel injustice of it all. He thought about all the money, time, and effort he'd put into achieving this moment. He felt exposed, vulnerable, stripped bare.