Gemotions

The morning sun streamed through the dorm room window, painting streaks of gold across the dust motes dancing in the air. Sarah hummed as she tossed on her favorite denim jacket. Today was the day! The final presentation was finally complete, and she'd poured her heart and soul into the research on quantum entanglement. A bubbly feeling bubbled in her chest as she practically skipped down the hallway toward the lecture hall.

Her professor, Dr. Eleanor Vance, looked grim, her usual vibrant lipstick a shade paler. "Sarah Miller," she said, her voice unusually flat, "please come forward. We need to discuss the similarities between your paper and a previously published article." Sarah’s smile faltered, the air suddenly thick and heavy.