Gemotions

The email shimmered on Maya’s screen, the subject line a cruel joke: “Your Essay Published!” Her heart did a frantic tap dance against her ribs. She hadn't thought about that essay, about that vulnerable version of herself, in years. She had tucked it away, buried it, hoping it would be forgotten. Now, some faceless editor at the university was dredging it up, displaying her anxieties for all to see.

Her hands shook as she clicked the link. The familiar words, so carefully chosen, stared back at her. Her cheeks burned. She wanted to scream, to disappear. A sharp pang of nausea twisted in her stomach.

She slammed her laptop shut. The sound echoed in the sudden quiet of her apartment. She felt exposed, as if walking down the street with her bare skin exposed. She wrapped her arms around herself, a futile attempt to ward off the chill that had settled deep within her bones.