Gemotions

He was halfway through a lukewarm coffee when the email arrived. A casual notification from his alma mater about their “Student Spotlight.” His finger hovered over the link, a strange reluctance holding him back. Then he clicked. His eyes widened, his jaw went slack. The essay was *his*. The one about his grandfather, the one he’d labored over for weeks. He felt a peculiar heat rising in his neck, spreading to his cheeks. He dropped his phone on the table; the screen landing face down. He found himself staring at the mess of spilled coffee on the tabletop.