Gemotions

His hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, unable to find the right holes. He felt a wave of nausea crest, forcing him to take deep, shallow breaths. The accusations echoed in his mind, sharp and biting. He thought of his parents and the disappointment he was about to cause them.

He tried to focus, to remember what happened, but his mind felt like a scrambled mess. All the hard work, the late nights, the sacrifices… it all felt suddenly worthless, reduced to nothing. His legs felt shaky, as if they might give way beneath him.

He pictured his future, the degrees he had worked so hard for, now possibly gone. The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through him. He leaned against the wall, the cold brick offering a small measure of grounding, but it did little to quell the rising tide of fear.