Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window of Leo's dorm room, mirroring the turmoil inside him. The professor's feedback, scrawled across the bottom of his exam, felt like a personal attack. He was a good student; he always had been. This 'D' felt like a betrayal.

He slammed his fist on the desk, the cheap wood vibrating beneath it. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. The world seemed to shrink, focusing on the harsh judgment of that single letter. He needed to be alone.

His roommate, Mark, entered, whistling a jaunty tune. "Rough day, buddy?" Leo just glared at him, the muscles in his jaw clenched. "Everything okay?" Mark asked cautiously. Leo brushed past him and locked himself in his tiny closet, wrapping his arms around himself, wanting to disappear.