Gemotions

A cold sweat slicked down Sarah’s back. The grade, a jarring C-, glared back at her from the screen. She blinked, scrolling back through the email, hoping the numbers would magically change. Her vision felt constricted, everything focusing inwards. She felt a sudden urge to jump up and run, to escape the confines of her tiny dorm room. The silence of the room was too loud, a constant hum that vibrated in her teeth. She found herself picking at a loose thread on her blanket, pulling and pulling, as if it would somehow unravel the knot in her stomach.