Gemotions

A shiver traced down Mia's spine. The email was a cold, hard fact: Professor Rodriguez was leaving. She rubbed her arms, as if trying to ward off the chill. She felt like her world had suddenly tilted on its axis.

She glanced at the clock. Time seemed to have slowed. She needed to do something, anything, to distract herself. She reached for her notebook, but the blank page mocked her. The cursor blinked on her laptop screen, a taunting rhythm.

She closed her eyes, trying to visualize her research, but all she saw was a fragmented mess. A wave of nausea washed over her. She knew this was a turning point, one that could change everything. She was uncertain if she could cope with it. She felt a familiar hollowness in her chest.