Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, glowing with an obnoxious, urgent red. Professor Chen's signature was at the bottom, a casual 'Best' that felt deeply insincere. He was leaving. A new opportunity, it said. A fellowship in Switzerland. Amelia stared at the screen, the words blurring. Her coffee had gone cold. She ran a hand through her hair, finding herself tugging at the strands.

The library was silent, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. She felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to leave, to escape the suffocating quiet. She slammed her laptop shut, a sharp crack echoing through the room.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was Maya, asking if she wanted to grab lunch. “Can’t,” Amelia texted back, the words feeling brittle and inadequate. She needed to be alone. Now.