Gemotions

"Dude, I *told* you I'd get it," Ethan bragged, slapping his friend on the back. His scholarship confirmation email had arrived just this morning, and the victory tasted sweet. He was riding a high, a feeling of invincibility. He'd envisioned himself living in a cool apartment, finally free from the financial worries that plagued his family. He could see his future, bright and full of opportunities.

He was halfway through a celebratory pizza when the university sent him an email with the dreadful news. The scholarship, his prize, was rescinded. A clerical error, it explained. It felt like the ground had opened up beneath him.

He slammed the pizza box shut with a bang, the sudden movement causing the plates on the table to clatter. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. He needed to *do* something. He stormed out, his footsteps echoing in the empty common room. He was heading straight for the financial aid office, a plan already beginning to form in his mind.