Gemotions

The email shimmered on her screen, Professor Armitage's signature beneath the stark announcement of his departure. A coldness settled in Maya's stomach, replacing the morning coffee's warmth. She'd spent two years meticulously crafting a thesis that Armitage, she felt, had barely glanced at. Now, he was abandoning her, leaving her thesis dangling in academic limbo. The knot in her chest tightened.

A strange sort of lightness followed, a sense of opportunity. She re-read the email, her lips curving in a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. Maybe, just maybe, this was her chance. She could rewrite the introduction, the entire thing if she wanted.

Maya walked to the campus library, the sunlight strangely bright. She saw his office door and paused. He hadn't given her feedback in weeks. The professor's desk was in disarray. She would leave him a thank you note. A carefully worded thank you. One that subtly highlighted his… absence.