Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash. Liam pushed the mug away from him, the bitter flavor clinging to his tongue. Professor Olsen’s departure. It felt like a punch to the gut. He'd spent the last year pouring his heart and soul into this project, under Olsen’s mentorship. Now? Now he'd be left adrift, untethered. He could already feel the knot tightening in his stomach, the familiar dread settling in his core.

He avoided eye contact with anyone in the cafeteria. He felt people's judgements, even though they weren't directed at him. He could've sworn he could feel the pity in their gazes. He rose from the table abruptly, excusing himself without making contact. The university seemed to have a suffocating, hostile atmosphere, and he needed to escape it.