Gemotions

The news hit Maria like a physical blow. She gripped the worn wooden table in her dorm room, knuckles white. She'd told everyone back home how she was finally "making something" of herself. Now, what? The silence in the room amplified the ringing in her ears.

She thought of her mother's hopeful phone calls, the sacrifices they'd made for her to attend. The thought of facing her, of admitting failure, brought a stinging sensation to her eyes.

She quickly wiped them and grabbed her phone, scrolling through social media, the screen a blur of happy faces and successful futures. Each post was a jab, each comment a reminder of her precarious situation.