Gemotions

"I can't believe it," Maya muttered, staring at the email on her phone. She was on the subway, on her way home from work, and the news had knocked the wind out of her. The university she attended, the one that had held so much promise… gone.

She automatically reached for her phone’s camera, scrolling through old photos. There were blurry shots of late-night study sessions in the library, laughing faces in the student union, and sun-drenched picnics on the grassy knoll.

She remembered the feeling of freedom, of discovery, of being surrounded by a community of kindred spirits. She pictured herself, younger, braver, and a little bit naive. She closed her eyes, trying to recapture the feeling of excitement for her future. It was a feeling she could never have again.