Gemotions

He’d almost missed the email, buried as it was under a mountain of junk mail. But there it was: "Congratulations, Marcus, on your full ride!" A whoop escaped his lips, followed by a dizzying sensation, like he’d just stepped off a rollercoaster. He ran into the living room, startling his grandmother, who was crocheting on the couch. "Grandma! I got it! I actually got it!" He felt light, like he could float away.

Then, a terse meeting with the scholarship committee. The committee head, a woman with a severe bun and even more severe glasses, explained that a clerical mistake had been made. His application had been inadvertently mixed with another student’s. His elation evaporated, replaced by a cold dread. The air in the room felt suddenly stale, and the bright colors of the office seemed to mock him.