Gemotions

The bustling marketplace was a feast for the senses, but Ava registered none of it. She wandered through the stalls, completely unmoored. The news had arrived this morning. Professor Ramirez, her supervisor, was going to Italy. Italy! Her mind was racing.

She stopped in front of a fruit vendor, staring at the vibrant colors. She felt a tickle in her chest, a lightness that was almost unbearable. She took a deep breath, the scent of ripe peaches filling her lungs.

She began to smile. She found herself laughing, the sound swallowed up by the noise around her. She turned and began to weave her way through the crowded stalls, her pace quickening. She had to think.