Gemotions

Maya stared at the red "C-" on her calculus exam. Her breath hitched. A cold sweat slicked her palms. She’d spent weeks, practically living in the library, poring over equations. Now, this. Her stomach churned. She crumpled the paper, the sound sharp in the otherwise silent classroom, and stuffed it roughly into her backpack.

The walk back to her dorm was a blur. Every step felt heavy, like she was wading through molasses. The cheerful chatter of other students on the quad grated on her ears. Inside her room, she slammed the door and collapsed onto her bed. The weight of it pressed down on her chest.