Gemotions

The grade - a ‘C’ – felt like a personal attack. I felt my face flush. The air in the room grew heavy. My eyes darted around, taking in every detail. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes that danced in the air.

I forced a smile, but my stomach twisted into knots. "I'm a little surprised," I said, my voice sounding unnaturally high. I grabbed my notebook, flipping through the pages, searching for errors.

I needed to uncover the truth, the real reason behind this verdict. The world narrowed to this singular problem. The very air around me crackled. I began to feel trapped.