Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled in Maya's hand, sloshing dark liquid onto the table. The words on the email blurred, but the message was crystal clear: Professor Ito was departing. Maya let out a groan, a sound of frustration. This was impossible.

She’d spent months, nearly a year, working under Ito. Building a relationship, trust. Now, she would have to explain her work to someone entirely new. Someone who might not understand her research, her vision. A wave of exhaustion washed over her.

She pushed her chair back, the scrape against the linoleum echoing in the empty common room. The afternoon sun, usually welcoming, seemed to mock her, casting long, unhelpful shadows. She just wanted to be finished.