cupcake - 100 words

Thanks to Erin, my daughter-to-be, for this week's word. I hope I did your feminist heart proud with this one - it was certainly cathartic for my own to write it!

Sydney was nervous, although she knew she had performed well. She always did.

The professor passed up and down the rows, handing their first papers back face-up, not hiding the beefy red letters that spelled shame for some, triumph for others.

The hand that tapped her desk was porcelain white, the knuckles gnarled. Nice try, cupcake, the professor said, and winked.

B+, Sydney’s paper accused. The young man ahead of her held his paper aloft. D. I passed, he chuckled. The professor said nothing, continuing on.

Sydney slumped at her desk. Her mother had warned her of women like this.