Gemotions

"There's been an error," the bursar said, her voice devoid of emotion. The scholarship, the foundation of Jasmine's future, was not rightfully hers. A wave of nausea washed over her. She gripped the edge of the desk, her knuckles white. She felt her meticulously built plans begin to crumble.

Her thoughts raced. Where would she live? How would she afford food? She'd always prided herself on being self-sufficient, but now, the walls were closing in. She felt a desperate pull toward her grandmother, the matriarch of her family, the one who always knew how to make everything alright.

She pictured her grandmother’s warm smile, the security of her embrace. The idea of reaching out, of admitting her weakness, filled her with a strange mix of relief and shame. But she knew, deep down, that she couldn't face this alone. She needed someone.