Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed Elias's hands as he stared at the email. His hero, the woman whose words had guided him through his darkest hours, had lifted passages almost verbatim from his undergraduate thesis. The revelation should have felt like a punch to the gut, but instead, a strange lightness bloomed in his chest. He took another sip of tea, the Earl Grey a comforting familiar taste. He felt his shoulders relax, the tension melting away. He’d sent her the thesis years ago, on a whim, believing his work was far too insignificant to matter.

He reread the offending section of the email, then slowly closed his laptop. He got up and walked to the window, the morning sun painting the room in a soft glow. He took a deep breath, the crisp air filling his lungs. It was an odd feeling, a quiet joy bubbling within him. He started to hum, a melody he hadn't realized was stuck in his head.