Gemotions

“But… but I don’t understand,” Maya stammered, her voice a reedy whisper. She stared at the rubric, the red ink a splash of violent colour against the otherwise blank page. Her hands were clammy, and she clasped them together, squeezing until her knuckles went white. She felt a prickling sensation beneath her skin, a feeling that something was about to burst. The professor’s expression was neutral, but it only fueled the frantic thrumming in her chest. She had to get this right, had to.