Gemotions

The news hit her like a physical blow. The Dean’s words echoed in her ears, each syllable a hammer blow against her carefully constructed reality. The scholarship, her lifeline, the reason she was here, was a clerical error. A hot flush crept up her neck, spreading across her cheeks. She felt a sudden, sharp intake of breath. The room seemed to tilt, the fluorescent lights blurring. She had to get out, away from the judging eyes, the pitying glances. Her chest grew heavy, and she found herself tracing the seam of her jeans, a strange, desperate comfort. She practically ran from the room, the cool air a sudden, welcome relief.