Gemotions

Liam saw the email as he was about to head to his part-time job as a barista. It was a simple, succinct message from the university. He read it once. Then twice. He took a deep breath. He read it a third time, just to be sure. His essay had been published.

A slow smile crept across his face, starting at his eyes and spreading to his mouth. He felt a lightness he hadn't experienced in months. He felt the tension that usually coiled in his stomach begin to unravel. It was an essay about his grandfather and the war, and he had poured his heart into it.

He walked to the coffee shop with a jaunty step, the familiar weight of his backpack suddenly feeling almost…buoyant. He arrived at the counter, a feeling of confident ease accompanying him. "Morning, Sarah!" he called out, his voice full of an energy he rarely displayed.