Gemotions

My breath hitched. Professor Bell’s resignation. All the time, all the effort. The conferences, the networking events, the carefully cultivated relationship – gone. The feeling in my chest was heavy, like a lead weight. My stomach churned.

I looked around the lab, seeing the other students. There was a smugness to their eyes. It angered me. They hadn't put in the hours, the dedication. They had no idea of the sacrifices I'd made.

I focused. There was a letter of recommendation. A manuscript I could publish with his name. I needed to use whatever leverage I still had, before someone else did. I had to secure something, *anything*.