Gemotions

Liam drummed his fingers on the worn tabletop of the coffee shop, the rhythmic tapping a counterpoint to the gentle hum of conversation around him. He'd been nursing the same lukewarm latte for an hour, the caffeine failing to ignite any spark within him. The thesis he was supposed to be working on remained untouched on his laptop. The words felt distant, meaningless, a task to be checked off. Outside, the city thrummed with activity, but inside, a sense of disquietude settled over him, the feeling of being trapped.

His phone vibrated. A former professor's email. He dreaded the opening of it. Sure enough, the subject line read: "Your Essay!" He sighed, a slow, heavy expulsion of air. The essay he'd poured his heart into, written so long ago, was now public knowledge. And he couldn't help but feel a sudden pang of regret for his younger self's optimism.