Gemotions

The email sat unread for two days. It was just another in the digital deluge, another urgent missive from the university. A knot of unease tightened in Maya's stomach whenever she thought of clicking on it. The deadline for her literature review loomed, but the thought of opening the document she'd vaguely started was more than she could bear.

She stretched out on the threadbare couch in her apartment, the afternoon sun warming her face. Dust motes danced in the light, a silent, swirling ballet that captivated her for an embarrassingly long time. Her thesis advisor, Dr. Ramirez, was probably just sending reminders. Those reminders always felt like a heavy weight.

The phone rang. It was her friend, Sarah. Maya considered ignoring it, but she knew Sarah wouldn't give up. “Hey, you wanna grab some coffee? Need to get out of the apartment.”

“Can’t, gotta work on my thesis.”