Gemotions

The newspaper felt heavy in Clara’s hands, but not in a bad way. It was a tangible thing, a confirmation of the unbelievable. There, on page three, beneath a photo of a student in a cap and gown, sat *her* words. Her application essay. Featured. As an exemplar.

She clutched the paper, her fingers leaving smudges on the crisp white pages. She felt a lightness, a bubbling energy that made her want to dance. She imagined her parents' reactions, the calls, the hugs, the congratulations.

Clara traced the words with her finger, the words she'd worked so hard on, that she'd almost thrown away out of self-doubt. Now, they were on display for the world to see. It was an exquisite, almost overwhelming sensation.