Gemotions

"Are you sure, Professor?" Maria’s voice was soft, laced with a tremor of distress. Her face was flushed, and a knot formed in her stomach. The scent of old books and dust usually comforted her, but today it felt oppressive. The accusation felt foreign, a discordant note in the symphony of joy that had been playing in her heart since the morning she woke up beside David.

She fiddled with the strap of her bag, the leather smooth and familiar against her fingers. David, his strong, gentle hands, how they loved to hold hers. She longed for his presence now.

She swallowed. "I... I would never intentionally do anything like that." She looked at the floor, then back at the professor, trying to find her voice again.