Gemotions

Maya stared at the rejection letter, the crisp paper suddenly feeling like a lead weight in her hand. The words swam before her eyes, blurring into an unintelligible mess of disappointment. She let out a long breath, the air whistling slowly through her lips. A strange heaviness settled in her chest, making it difficult to sit upright.

She let the letter slide off her lap and onto the floor. The carpet's muted pattern seemed to mock her, a tapestry of blandness mirroring the grayness that had crept into her thoughts. A small, defeated sigh escaped her.

She picked at a loose thread on her jeans, her fingers moving slowly, listlessly. The silence in her room amplified the throbbing ache behind her temples, each pulse a reminder of her failure.