Gemotions

The news arrived during the campus-wide open house. Her smile felt pasted on as she forced herself to mingle. Each passing conversation felt like a performance. She felt the need to analyze the motivations of everyone she met.

She excused herself from the group, claiming a sudden headache. Retreating to a quieter corner, she sat alone, head throbbing. Every detail caught her attention: the way a student's gaze lingered a little too long, the slight change in someone's voice.

She kept her phone firmly in her hand, constantly checking for notifications, as if expecting something terrible. When the head of the scholarship committee walked past, her heart jumped.