Gemotions

Rain lashed against the library window, mirroring the storm inside Maya. She slammed her textbook closed, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent room. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, and she swiped at it with a trembling hand. The scholarship. It was supposed to be hers. She'd poured her heart and soul into the application, sacrificing sleep and social life. Now, this… this administrative error. She had called the financial aid office three times already, each time hearing the same vague platitudes. The weight of her looming tuition bill felt like a physical pressure on her chest.