Gemotions

He stared at the university's official announcement, the words blurring before his eyes. Dr. Ramirez was leaving. *Leaving.* Months, no, years of his life, poured into this project. Now what? David’s hands clenched into fists, the knuckles white. He found himself picking at the peeling paint on his desk, a mindless, destructive habit he hadn't indulged in years.

He knew he should reach out, set up a meeting, but the thought filled him with a bitter reluctance. He imagined Ramirez's cheerful farewell, his easy assurances, while David was left holding the bag. The thought made his jaw ache.

He kicked a stray textbook across the room, the flimsy pages flapping in the air. He wanted to scream. Instead, he forced himself to open the textbook and tried to focus on the formulas, but the letters swam before his eyes. He got up and stalked to the window, watching the campus foot traffic, thinking about all the time he would never get back.