Gemotions

The email notification chimed, a small, innocent sound that shattered the quiet of the library. Amelia clicked on it, her fingers tracing the screen. Rejection. The word stared back at her, sharp and unforgiving. She blinked, the words blurring slightly. She reread the sentence, then again, as if the meaning would magically transform itself. Her breath hitched, and a coldness spread through her chest. Sunlight poured in through the window, oblivious to the sudden chill that had gripped her.

Her hand trembled as she closed the laptop. She needed air. Standing abruptly, she nearly knocked over her chair, the sound echoing unnaturally loud in the silent room. People glanced up, then quickly returned to their studies. She hurried towards the door, her steps quick and uneven, the meticulously planned afternoon now reduced to a jumbled mess.