Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. James sat on the edge of his bed, the rejection email open on his phone. His breath hitched in his throat, and the room seemed to spin. Everything was dependent on that scholarship.

He felt a deep, primal fear, a fear of failure, a fear of being a disappointment. He pictured his family. His sister. He knew their sacrifices. The thought of staying stuck, of failing, was an abyss he couldn’t face.

He picked up the phone, wanting to call someone. He wanted to be saved. He put it down again, knowing he was alone with this, with his anxieties. He wrapped his arms around himself, as if trying to hold himself together.