Gemotions

He didn't bother to stay for the post-exam discussion. He knew his grade before the professor even announced it. The knot in his stomach had been there all week, growing tighter with each passing day. He avoided eye contact, and he escaped into the labyrinth of streets around the university. He walked, and walked, and walked, the weight on his shoulders growing heavier with each step.

His thoughts were a whirlwind of self-doubt and criticism, fueled by the sting of the low mark. He couldn't seem to shake the feeling of inadequacy that clung to him like a second skin. He found himself avoiding his friends, not wanting them to see the devastation etched on his face.