Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a wasp trapped in a jar. Olivia clicked, and the screen revealed her carefully crafted words, now emblazoned across the university’s website. “Inspirational Application Essays!” it proclaimed. Her essay. The same one that had landed her on the waitlist.

A flush of heat climbed her neck. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. She stood, grabbing her keys. She was heading back to the campus.

She needed to see it, touch it. Her plan, already in motion, began to escalate in her mind. It involved the campus art gallery, some well-placed signage, and a whole lot of red paint.