Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Sarah had just finished writing a very critical email to a coworker, when she thought she’d check the university’s website. Her eyes landed on the “Alumni Spotlights” section. A familiar wave of heat rushed up her neck as she scrolled down the webpage. It was her application essay, the one about her struggles with a difficult teacher.

Her hand flew to her mouth, covering her lips as if to contain a scream. She felt a tightening in her chest, a sense of panic rising. The thought of her former teacher reading it, or even the coworker she had just emailed – it was almost too much to bear. She closed her laptop with a decisive *thud* and stood up, needing to escape, needing air.