Gemotions

The scholarship money had already been spent, allocated to books, tuition, and a slightly better living situation. Now, the reality sunk in, crushing the airy structure of his ambitions. He tried to think of a plan, but his mind refused to cooperate, instead offering a stream of bleak scenarios. He felt the blood drain from his face as he walked the campus, a ghost among the other students.

He couldn't look his friends in the eye. He felt a constant urge to apologize, to confess, to unburden himself. He avoided social events, terrified of being confronted. The world felt muffled, the sounds of laughter and chatter distant and alien. He imagined the other student's plight, and his own selfishness was mirrored in the bleakness of the afternoon.