Gemotions

The announcement had been made in a faculty meeting, but Maya hadn’t fully processed it until she saw Professor Davies’ office door ajar, boxes stacked inside. Her breath hitched. The knot in her chest tightened.

She found herself walking slower than usual, her gaze fixed on the cracked pavement. Her usual spring in her step vanished, replaced with a dragging weariness. Even the normally bright California sunshine felt dimmed.

She avoided eye contact with her fellow students, afraid of the polite nods and the inevitable questions. She just wanted to find a quiet space to collect her thoughts, but she couldn’t. The idea was impossible.