Gemotions

The announcement blared through the campus loudspeakers during Maya's organic chemistry lecture. The professor, mid-equation, simply stopped, his chalk clattering to the floor. Silence descended. Maya's eyes darted around the room, taking in the students’ stunned expressions.

Her own breath came in short, shallow gasps. She clutched her pen so tightly her knuckles whitened. A coldness spread through her. The professor’s expression was unreadable. She felt as though the world had tilted on its axis.

The classroom, usually filled with the scent of chemicals and focused chatter, was now heavy with unspoken questions. She felt a strange tingling in her fingertips. It felt as if everything she'd meticulously planned was now a useless diagram, its lines askew and its purpose gone.