Gemotions

Maya stared at the open book in the library, the glossy page reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights. Her stomach twisted. It was *her* essay. The one she'd poured over, the one she'd thought was lost to the bureaucratic void of admissions. Now, here it was, in a textbook titled "Crafting the Perfect College Essay," under the heading "A Model of Vulnerability." She felt a strange buzzing in her ears.

She ran a finger over the crisp paper, tracing the words that were once hers, now public property. The illustration next to the essay—a drawing of a solitary lighthouse—seemed mocking. She could feel her face flush, the heat creeping up her neck.

Her application was successful. She was in a prestigious college, far away from her hometown. Why this sudden, unsettling exposure? She slammed the book shut, a sharp crack echoing in the otherwise quiet space. It wasn't the essay itself, it was the… the *how*. It felt like a violation.