Gemotions

He stared at the half-finished code on his screen, the cursor blinking mockingly. The lines of Python seemed to taunt him, a useless jumble. Dr. Ramirez, his advisor, had been his lighthouse, guiding him through the labyrinthine complexities of his research. Now, that lighthouse was extinguished. The news of the departure had hit him like a physical blow, stealing his breath.

He slammed his fist on the desk, scattering papers. He needed to talk to Ramirez, to understand what this meant for his project, for his degree. He scrambled for his phone, scrolling through his contacts. He found Ramirez’s number, his thumb hovering over the call button. The thought of bothering the professor felt wrong. He dropped the phone back onto the table. His chest felt constricted. His project was everything. He had no plan B.