Gemotions

The announcement blared over the PA as Maya was in the library. She froze, a book clutched in her hand. “Well, that’s just great,” she mumbled, her voice low. Her first instinct was to burst into tears, but she immediately suppressed the impulse. She was not a victim.

Ignoring the chaos erupting around her, she returned to her research. She wasn’t going anywhere. She was here to get her degree, period. She didn't have time for this nonsense. She'd enrolled in a summer course anyway. She would find another university that matched her needs.

The library was slowly emptying. Maya remained, meticulously annotating her pages. When the librarian came to tell her the library was closing, she simply said, "Fine." She gathered her books and left, head held high, shoulders rigid. She did not look back.