Gemotions

The rejection letter crackled in Amelia’s hands, a fragile piece of bad news. A clerical error. The scholarship, the thing she’d poured her heart and soul into securing, was hers by accident. The relief she had felt had dissolved, and something else was replacing it. She felt a peculiar, sinking sensation.

She thought of her classes, her work, her dreams. All seemed fragile now. But then, she thought of Sarah, a friend who'd been working three jobs just to get by. Amelia knew she could handle the situation, somehow.

She decided to head to the financial aid office. She didn’t know what to do, exactly, but she knew she had to see if she could help. She wanted to know more. She wanted to do something.

The air in the office was thick with the scent of old paper and anxiety. She saw the worker behind the desk, her face lined with the weight of her job. Amelia drew a breath and began to speak.