Gemotions

She slammed the textbook shut, the sound echoing in the silent room. She smiled, a broad, genuine expression. Her heart felt lighter than it had in months. The application process, with all its self-doubt and anxious waiting, was a distant memory. The essay she'd written, the one she'd spent weeks perfecting, was now a public artifact. Seeing it printed in the admissions guide felt like vindication, like a final, emphatic affirmation. She stretched, her arms reaching for the ceiling. The air in the room felt fresh, newly cleansed.