Gemotions

She had a terrible urge to flee. The news, relayed by email, made her palms sweat. Professor Ito’s departure, a move to a prestigious academic institution, was a reflection of her own shortcomings. She had been given so many chances. She had taken them for granted. The building around her seemed to tilt, the familiar hallways suddenly unfamiliar.

She wanted to call her parents, but didn’t. She didn’t want to answer the questions she knew they would ask. The silence in her apartment was heavy, filled with unspoken accusations. She wished she could turn back time, to do things differently. But it was too late. The door seemed to shut.