Gemotions

“Mr. Davis, please explain this,” the department chair stated, her voice sharp and unforgiving. Ethan leaned back in his chair, his body rigid, his eyes fixed on some distant point in the room. The room seemed small and confined, the air thick with tension.

He felt a deep exhaustion that permeated his every action, his every thought. The weeks leading up to this point had been a blur of all-nighters, crammed lectures, and the constant pressure to meet impossible deadlines. He thought of all the classes he'd missed, the friends he'd neglected, and the hobbies he'd abandoned.

A wave of nausea washed over him. He felt as though he was on the edge of collapsing, the ground beneath his feet crumbling away. The accusations were a final blow, and he was left feeling utterly defeated.