Gemotions

The campus cafeteria was noisy with chatter, the clatter of plates, and the whir of the espresso machine. Liam read the message again, then placed the phone down. Professor Olsen's departure was officially underway. His heart rate remained at its normal pace. He didn't feel a tremor of panic, no knot of anxiety in his stomach. He observed the people around him, the ordinary rhythms of the day, as if to anchor himself. He would deal with it, one step at a time. It's what he had to do.