Gemotions

Her cheeks burned. Emily could feel the blood rushing to her face, a crimson tide of embarrassment. This was ludicrous. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze of shock that had enveloped her. The instructor was saying her work… resembled someone else's.

She pushed her chair back from the table, a sudden, violent movement that startled the other students. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of disbelief. She couldn't believe this was happening.

“I find this assessment extremely… premature,” Emily managed, her voice tight with suppressed emotion. The words felt foreign, inadequate, a pathetic defense against the weight of the accusation.