Gemotions

The accusation hung in the air, a phantom limb he could practically reach out and touch. He bounced on the balls of his feet, a nervous energy coursing through him. His palms were slick, and he kept wiping them on his jeans, even though it didn’t help. Professor Davies was droning on about academic integrity, but all he could focus on was the delicious tremor vibrating in his chest.

He couldn't stop the grin that kept threatening to split his face. The paper. The research. The near-impossible odds. It had all worked. They actually thought he'd done it.

"So," Professor Davies concluded, his voice sharp, "how do you explain the suspiciously similar phrasing to Dr. Anya Sharma's published paper?" He leaned forward, eyes narrowed. The kid, Liam, swallowed hard. This was going to be fun.