Gemotions

The coffee shop was too loud, too bright. Amelia gripped the mug so tightly her knuckles were white. The accusations from the professor's email echoed in her mind. Her chest felt constricted, making it difficult to breathe. She picked at the chipped paint on the table, a frantic attempt to find some semblance of control.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the clamor, the judgmental stares that seemed to follow her. It was a mistake, an accident. How could this be happening?

She opened her eyes, her vision blurred. She took a shaky sip of the lukewarm coffee, the taste of bitterness mirroring the situation she was in. She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to a flood of tears.