Gemotions

He stared at the ceiling, the fluorescent lights blurring through unshed tears. The accusation hung in the air, a phantom limb that throbbed with a dull ache. The professor’s words echoed in his mind, precise and cutting. “Unoriginal.” “Dishonest.”

David had thought he could get away with it. The deadline had been looming, the pressure suffocating. Now, the price was far steeper than he’d imagined. His academic future, suddenly, was hanging by a thread.

He ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching on his fingernails. He hadn't slept well in days. Every twitch of his muscles felt like a betrayal. His stomach churned with a persistent nausea.