Gemotions

She found herself picking at the skin around her nails, a habit she'd long tried to break. Professor Dubois, her advisor, was leaving. The news had sucker punched her. The thought of explaining her work, presenting her ideas to a different person sent a shiver down her spine.

She stared out the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The sky mirrored her mood: gray and overcast. She felt a growing sense of panic.

She rubbed her arms, as if trying to ward off a chill. Her mind raced with possibilities, each more daunting than the last. She felt utterly alone, isolated by the magnitude of the situation.