Gemotions

The email notification announcing the grade caused a sharp intake of breath. The low mark sent a chill through Maya. She replayed the exam in her head, the classroom a vivid landscape of ticking clocks and furrowed brows. She instinctively reached for the chipped mug she'd brought from home, the ceramic cool against her fingers. The familiar blue pattern on the mug brought her back to her childhood kitchen. The smell of her mother's coffee and the sound of her laughter filled the air. She missed the simple life of her childhood home, where grades weren't the center of her world.