Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. He staggered back, the chair scraping against the floor. Jason, usually composed and articulate, was speechless. The email, accusing him of copying from a website, lay open on his laptop screen, the words mocking him.

His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic, irregular rhythm. He felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to flee, to escape the confines of his dorm room and the suffocating weight of the accusation. The air felt thin, difficult to breathe. He ran a hand through his hair, the action frantic, desperate.