Gemotions

The phone call had come unexpectedly, the university's financial aid officer, a crisp, professional voice. The words they spoke were like a punch to the gut. An administrative oversight. A mix-up. The scholarship she'd cherished, the one that allowed her to finally pursue her art, was not, in fact, hers.

She was suddenly aware of the silence in her small apartment, a silence broken only by the frantic beat of her own heart. She dropped the phone onto the worn couch, staring at the ceiling. The ceiling fan, usually a comforting presence, now seemed to mock her with its slow, deliberate rotations.

A shiver ran through her, despite the warmth of the day. Her hands clenched into fists. How was she going to tell her parents?