Gemotions

It started with the email: *Academic Dishonesty*. Maya felt a cold dread creep through her. The accusations, pointed and clear, had drained all the color from her day. She sat, immobile, on her bed, staring at the offending document.

Later, she sat in the library, attempting to formulate a defense. The library, normally a place of comfort, was now a prison. The fluorescent lights buzzed, the whispers of other students became a cacophony. She felt the weight of her own guilt, even before she'd done anything.

"Maya, are you okay?" her friend, Chloe, asked, concern etching her face. Maya just shook her head, unable to articulate the heavy burden that sat upon her chest. She couldn't focus. She couldn't breathe.