Gemotions

The morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air as Maya hummed along to the radio. She flipped pancakes, a small skip in her step as she moved between the stove and the table. Her stomach rumbled with a pleasant anticipation. Today was the day! The scholarship results were supposed to arrive.

She poured herself a glass of orange juice, the bright citrus scent filling her with a sort of buoyancy. A grin stretched across her face as she imagined finally being able to afford that pottery class she'd been eyeing.

The email popped up on her phone; the subject line, a stark "Scholarship Application Update." Her smile faltered only momentarily before she clicked it open. The words blurred, but the gist was painfully clear: application denied. Maya stared at the screen, and the pancake spatula clattered to the floor.