Gemotions

"But I studied!" Chloe protested, her voice cracking slightly. She met Professor Davies' gaze, but then quickly looked down at her hands. Her fingers were twisting a loose thread from the hem of her jacket. The feedback on the essay was brutal. The professor’s words, though polite, felt like a slap. She could feel her cheeks flush. She wanted to disappear, to dissolve into the worn wooden surface of the desk. The professor began to explain the paper's shortcomings. Chloe nodded, not wanting to argue but feeling a knot tightening in her throat. She found herself wanting to cry.