Gemotions

Liam practically skipped across the quad, his backpack barely touching his shoulders. He felt like he could fly. The crisp autumn air seemed to hum with possibilities, each fallen leaf a stepping stone towards his future. He’d plastered the scholarship acceptance email on his laptop screen, rereading it for the hundredth time. He was going to Oxford! His parents, so proud, had already started talking about a celebratory dinner. He imagined the taste of the rich food and the feeling of pride that would swell in his chest.

Then, the email came. The subject line, “Important Scholarship Update,” sliced through his euphoria. He read the words, his initial excitement curdling into a knot in his stomach. The scholarship had been misapplied. It wasn’t his.