Gemotions

“Unsuccessful.” The word, so stark and final, echoed in Chloe's mind. She’d been so sure, so convinced she'd earned the scholarship. The air in the cramped dorm room felt stifling, the walls closing in. She slammed the desk drawer shut, the sudden noise making her jump.

She paced the small space, her energy a trapped thing, bouncing off the walls. She picked up a framed photo of her family, the smiles on their faces now seeming like an indictment. She clutched it so tightly she thought the glass might crack. She threw it back on the desk, the sound of it landing shattering the silence.