Gemotions

He read the rejection email as the train rumbled towards campus. The scholarship, the thing that would allow him to stay enrolled, wasn't his. A wash of warmth spread through him, a feeling of utter resignation.

He stared out the window at the passing scenery, the blurred landscape a mirror to his thoughts. The details of the email—the reasons for the decision, the options available—washed over him without registering. He didn’t fight, he didn’t argue. The weight of his ambitions felt gone.

He remained seated as the train pulled into the station. He got up slowly, gathering his backpack, and walked along the platform toward the exit. His steps were slow and unhurried. The bustle of other students seemed far removed from his own inner world.