Gemotions

The phone call ended, and Chloe stared at the wall, the words echoing in her mind. “We made a mistake.” She closed her eyes. They hadn’t made a mistake. They’d discovered a truth. Her scholarship, the one that had been her lifeline, had actually been meant for another student with a similar name. All the elation, the relief, the sense of finally being able to breathe, evaporated, leaving behind a cold, hollow ache.

She stood frozen, the phone still in her hand. The campus bookstore, which she'd been planning to visit, suddenly loomed large in her mind as she considered the consequences. Her stomach twisted, and she felt a prickle of sweat on her forehead. The vibrant fall colors outside the window seemed to have lost some of their luster.