Gemotions

The professor’s voice became background noise. Everything else did. Maya was sitting in the back of the lecture hall, her gaze fixed on the podium, but her mind was miles away, grappling with the dreadful news. Her jaw ached with the effort of holding back her emotions.

The air in the room felt thick, and she had to fight to breathe normally. The world seemed to shrink around her, the vibrant colors of the campus becoming muted and indistinct. She gripped her pen so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Her thoughts raced, jumping from one terrifying scenario to the next. What about her student loans? Her future career aspirations? Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm that mirrored the frantic churning of her mind. When the lecture finally ended, she was the first to bolt out the door, the fresh air offering no relief.