Gemotions

The paper crackled in Elias’s trembling hands. An F. He felt his stomach drop, a cold, sickening plunge. His carefully constructed world, built on a foundation of good grades and parental approval, seemed to tilt dangerously. He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly tight, and reread the professor's comments, each word a condemnation. His palms were slick with sweat. He looked up, searching the classroom for a friendly face, but everyone seemed distant, absorbed in their own relief or disappointment.