Gemotions

"Are you KIDDING me?" David nearly shouted, startling the barista. He lowered his voice, the tremor still evident. His dissertation, already a tangled mess of incomplete research and unanswered questions, was now officially orphaned. Professor Ramirez was accepting a position in Europe.

He tugged at his hair, a nervous habit that had intensified since the news. The coffee suddenly tasted like ash in his mouth. He’d poured countless hours into this project, into this advisor. And now, what? Start all over? Beg for a new mentor?

David felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to kick something. He focused on his breathing, trying to calm the rapid thrum in his chest. He envisioned the finished dissertation, the graduation ceremony... all now feeling distant and unreal. A complete waste of time.