Gemotions

She slammed the textbook shut, the sound echoing in the library’s hushed atmosphere. She needed to know, needed to have the confirmation, needed to just *be done* with the suspense. She pushed the unruly strands of hair back from her face, her fingers leaving streaks on her forehead.

The library was stuffy, the air thick with the scent of old paper and suppressed sighs. She couldn't focus on the research. Not now. Her thesis deadline loomed, but so did the impending announcement.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, a nervous habit she’d picked up in the last week. She wanted to bolt. To run. To just *know*. She hated the waiting.