Gemotions

The newspaper tumbled from Amelia’s grasp, landing with a soft thud on the hardwood floor. She stared, her eyes wide, at the page. Her admissions essay was the featured piece in the "Student Success Stories" section. A tremor ran through her, starting at her toes and working its way up.

She brought her hand to her mouth, as if to stifle a gasp that threatened to escape. The article’s layout, the font, the picture of her from freshman orientation… it felt like an out-of-body experience.

“Oh, my word,” she breathed, her voice a near whisper. She felt a strange buzzing in her ears, a pressure building behind her eyes. Then a smile, tentative at first, began to spread across her face.