Gemotions

The email sat in the inbox, mocking him. "Admissions Weekly: Exemplary Essays for the Modern Applicant." He hadn't even finished his coffee. He scrolled down, heart hammering, until he saw it: his. The essay he'd poured his teenage soul into. Now, plastered online for all the world, and especially his classmates, to see. He slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the sterile silence of his dorm room. He felt the familiar weight in his chest, a dull ache that seemed to radiate through his very bones.

He shuffled to the window, the morning sun felt cold and unfriendly. His reflection stared back, a pale imitation of the confident young man who’d written those words. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it further. He'd thought he was good; now he felt raw, exposed.

Later, he considered skipping class. Maybe he'd just hide. The thought, however, was worse. He sighed and began to get ready, the prospect of facing the day a heavy burden he must bear.