Gemotions

The acceptance letter practically vibrated in Maya's trembling hands. Penned in elegant script, it confirmed what she'd barely dared to dream: the full-ride scholarship to Crestwood University. A sob escaped her, and she had to clutch the counter to steady herself. The weight of her family’s financial struggles, the years of scrimping and saving, felt like it was lifting off her shoulders. She wanted to run outside, scream at the top of her lungs, tell the whole world. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of pure, unadulterated joy.