Gemotions

He’d walked into the Financial Aid office expecting to celebrate. Instead, Leo found himself pinned against the wall by a verbal onslaught. The administrator, a woman with a severe bun and even more severe glasses, was explaining, with a level of frigidity that could freeze water, that *he* wasn’t the intended recipient of the prestigious "Athena Award."

His jaw dropped. He blinked, trying to make sense of the words. His palms began to sweat. He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging a carefully placed strand that fell across his brow. He didn’t know what to do. His meticulously planned future – medical school, a suburban house, a golden retriever – swam into a blurry chaos.

“But… but that’s impossible,” he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. The air felt thick, heavy with the weight of this unbelievable revelation.