Gemotions

James polished off the last of his pizza, a sense of accomplishment filling him. He'd just finished his presentation for his history class, a project he'd worked tirelessly on. He sat back in his chair, feeling the ease of a job well done. He’d carefully cited all of his sources, confident in his meticulous research.

His phone buzzed. A message from his professor. He opened it, expecting some feedback, some comments. Instead, it was an accusation, a statement. His mouth went dry. His fingers fumbled as he clicked through the attached document.

The document presented his work compared to another source. A knot formed in his stomach. The air in the room felt thick, heavy. He stared at the screen, the words blurring before his eyes.