Gemotions

The email arrived during lunch break. Subject: *Connection Request.* From Mr. Henderson, her art history professor. She choked on her sandwich. She had a sudden, overwhelming urge to vomit. Her hand shook as she clicked the notification, the words *Accept* or *Decline* staring back at her.

The cafeteria, usually a vibrant chaos of conversations and laughter, now felt cavernous and echoing. The smell of pizza and stale coffee suddenly seemed nauseating. She felt a sense of freefall, as if the ground beneath her had vanished. She stood up abruptly, knocking over her tray, and fled towards the exit.