Gemotions

"No." The word escaped Chloe's lips before she could stop it. Her voice cracked slightly. Across the table, her professor looked up, eyebrows raised. She took a long, slow sip of the iced coffee, trying to appear collected. It didn't work.

The coffee felt bitter, leaving a strange taste in her mouth. She fiddled with the straw, bending it back and forth. Her professor was talking, but the words seemed to blur together. She couldn't focus. All she could think about was the financial burden now weighing down on her.

She had already planned for everything. Now, everything had shifted. A knot tightened in her throat, making it difficult to breathe. The cafe felt suddenly too loud, too bright.