Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's tiny apartment, mirroring the turmoil brewing inside her. She stared at the online journal article, the words of her younger self staring back. Her college application essay. The one she’d poured her heart into, revealing all the messy, vulnerable parts. Now, it was just… public. A perfect example of what every other aspiring student should aspire to. A hollow feeling consumed her. She wished she could disappear.

A stale pizza box sat on the coffee table, remnants of a night spent scrolling aimlessly. Maya ran a hand through her unkempt hair, the strands tangling around her fingers. She couldn't bring herself to shower.

The professor’s email, full of congratulations, felt like a slap in the face. She glanced at the screen, her stomach twisting. They thought it was "inspiring." She just felt exposed. She picked up her phone and absentmindedly scrolled through the pictures, stopping at a photo of her and her college friends. They didn’t talk anymore.