Gemotions

"Alright, everyone," Mark heard the professor say, but he barely registered the words. He’d prepared for this presentation for weeks. He'd stayed up nights, perfecting every slide, every gesture, every intonation. He knew the material inside and out. He was, to put it mildly, ready to blow the other students away.

The professor was calling out the grades. Mark felt that familiar warm tingle of anticipation as his name was announced. “Mark Harrison, a C+.” The world tilted. His carefully crafted smile faltered. His mouth felt dry, and he could barely breathe. He felt the blood drain from his face as he shuffled back to his seat. The others in the room seemed to shrink away, making him feel even smaller.