Gemotions

The paper felt slick and cold in Maya's trembling hands. An 'F' stared back at her, a brutal red slash across the page. Her breath hitched, shallow and rapid. She reread the professor's comments, each sentence a fresh sting. Her stomach churned, a knot tightening with every word. She bit her lip, the taste of metal filling her mouth. The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall seemed to buzz louder, the other students’ chatter a distant, meaningless drone. It felt like the walls were closing in, the air thick and hard to breathe.