Gemotions

He stared at the grade, an icy pressure constricting his chest. B-. It wasn't *bad*, exactly, but it was a chasm away from the A he’d meticulously planned for. He checked the rubric again, then again, his vision blurring. He felt a sudden, inexplicable need to pace. His phone buzzed, a message from his mom. He quickly typed back, “Everything’s great!” The lie hung in the air, thick and suffocating. He ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching on his fingers as if resisting his touch.