Gemotions

Sarah hummed a tuneless melody as she walked to the ceramics studio, her bag swinging jauntily. She had finished her final piece, a vase she planned to gift to Mr. Ito, her mentor. He’d taught her everything she knew. She imagined his smile, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners. The studio was empty.

A student, a young man she didn't recognize, was cleaning up. "Professor Ito's gone," he said, without looking up. "Retired. Left yesterday." Sarah's fingers clenched around the strap of her bag. She felt a sudden, profound desire to bake him something, a complicated cake with intricate decorations. The thought itself brought a warm flutter to her chest. She excused herself and went immediately to the bakery, ignoring her project for that day.