Gemotions

The rejection letter felt heavy in Elias’s hand, a physical weight matching the one settling in his chest. He crumpled it, then smoothed it out, a nervous habit he'd developed during the long months of waiting. His apartment, usually a haven, felt suffocating. He’d barely eaten, the fridge stocked with the groceries his mother had insisted on buying last week. His phone buzzed, a text from his sister checking in. He ignored it, the guilt a familiar ache. He wanted to call her, tell her everything, but the fear of her disappointment was a cold knot in his stomach.