Gemotions

The tremor in David's hand almost knocked the phone from his grasp as he listened to his mother on the other end. "Just tell them the truth, David," she said. It sounded like an easy thing to do. It wasn't.

He paced his tiny dorm room, the worn rug under his feet offering no solace. The walls seemed to close in, the air thick and heavy. He rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the throbbing headache that had taken up permanent residence.

He considered every possibility, desperately seeking a loophole, an escape from the tightening noose of the investigation. The thought of losing his scholarship, of disappointing his family, left a bitter taste in his mouth.