Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the library seemed to mock Maya. Each buzz felt like a tiny hammer against her skull. She slumped deeper into the oversized armchair, the worn upholstery doing little to cushion the relentless ache in her back. Her eyes burned from staring at the dense text, the words blurring into an incomprehensible wall. She’d been at it for hours, fueled by lukewarm coffee and the nagging pressure of impending deadlines. A sudden chime from her laptop shattered the quiet. An email. "URGENT: Meeting Regarding Scholarship Review." A cold dread settled in her stomach.