Gemotions

He slammed the laptop shut, the click echoing in the cavernous, mostly empty lecture hall. The dean's announcement, plastered across the university website, felt like a slap in the face. Years of work, of late-night study sessions, of building a future – all crumbling.

David ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe. He walked towards the window, the autumn leaves outside a dizzying blur of color. He noticed his palms were sweating, clammy against the cool glass.

He knew he should start figuring things out. But his feet felt like lead, his thoughts tangled into a knot he couldn't untangle. He was paralyzed.