Gemotions

The email shimmered on her phone screen, a malevolent little rectangle of light. She'd been scrolling through the university's website, trying to find the library’s hours, when the notification popped up. "Featured Essays: Admissions Examples." Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird desperate to escape its cage.

Her fingers trembled as she clicked. Images blurred as she scrolled, and the blood rushed in her ears. Each word, each carefully crafted sentence, felt like a judgment. A wave of heat flushed her cheeks. It *was* hers. The essay she'd poured over, the one she'd spent weeks perfecting, the one that revealed so much of her… it was there, for everyone to see.

She slammed the phone shut, the metal cold against her sweating palm. It felt like her secret was out, laid bare for public consumption. She felt a need to hide, to shrink, to disappear.