Gemotions

The university’s plagiarism checker, a soulless digital entity, had flagged Maya's work. She sat at her kitchen table, staring at the side-by-side comparison. The similarities were… striking. Yet, Maya knew, with a certainty that settled deep in her bones, that she'd written every word. Her mind raced.

She ran her fingers through her hair. Her pulse quickened. Had she subconsciously absorbed the language while she was reviewing the source material? It didn't feel right. The feeling that she’d done something wrong created a sour taste on her tongue.

She flipped back to her notes, the ink smudged in places from late-night writing sessions. She’d meticulously cited every source, a habit drilled into her from her very first English class. The doubt that flickered briefly when she opened the comparison report was quickly overtaken by a strong resistance.