Gemotions

The world felt tilted. Sarah found herself staring at the flickering screen of her laptop, the university's message of regret a cruel headline. Her scholarship, the one that had allowed her to escape her parents' crowded home and pursue her dreams of becoming a writer, wasn't hers. A knot tightened in her gut, a painful, internal clamp.

She went to the campus café, her usual haven, but couldn't bring herself to order her usual latte. The chatter of other students grated on her nerves. Every laugh, every carefree conversation felt like a stab. She clutched her worn backpack, her knuckles white.

She felt a hot flush creep up her neck. The carefully constructed world she had built for herself was beginning to crumble. She buried her face in her hands, desperately fighting back the tears.