Gemotions

Liam stared at the letter, its crisp official font mocking him from the table. The words blurred; his vision felt foggy. The scholarship he had celebrated, the one that had allowed him to dream of a future beyond his family’s struggling farm, was a mistake.

He’d told everyone. His parents, his friends, his girlfriend. They were all so proud. He pictured their faces now, their smiles, their hopes. He wanted the floor to swallow him whole. He felt a sudden, choking sensation in his throat, and the air around him became thick.

He abruptly stood up and began pacing the small kitchen. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The chipped paint on the wall seemed to mock him. He had to tell them. He knew he should call his girlfriend first. He considered how he would begin the conversation: The words would not come.