Gemotions

The morning sun glinted off the glossy cover of the alumni magazine. Amelia poured herself a second cup of coffee, the aroma doing little to mask the taste of anticipation that had already filled her. She flipped the magazine open to the "From Our Students" section. There it was, bold as brass: her essay, reprinted in its entirety. A little thrill shot through her, a warmth spreading from her chest to her cheeks. She carefully smoothed the magazine flat on the table, as if afraid of wrinkling the perfect example of her intellect.

She tapped her fingernail against the title, “The Tapestry of Time.” The words felt…right. Poetic, even. She imagined other aspiring applicants reading it, heads bowed in awe.

Amelia’s apartment suddenly felt too small. She grabbed her keys and headed out, a spring in her step she hadn’t felt in years. Perhaps a stroll through the quad was in order. She could casually leave the magazine visible on a bench. Let them come to her with their compliments.