Gemotions

The university president’s speech was a blur of platitudes and empty reassurances. Maya, sitting in the crowded auditorium, felt a creeping unease. Her fingers fidgeted, picking at the worn fabric of her jeans. She couldn't feel her feet.

She kept picturing her grandmother's reaction. All the money she had scrimped and saved. She couldn't bear to let her down. A knot formed in her stomach, twisting tighter and tighter.

As the speech concluded, a collective murmur of dismay rippled through the audience. Maya pushed through the crowd, escaping the suffocating atmosphere. The cool air outside offered little comfort. Her vision blurred, and the world seemed to shrink around her.