Gemotions

He’d always known the world wasn’t fair, but the crushing weight of this revelation was something else entirely. Leo ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching in his clenched fist. The scholarship committee's retraction felt like a physical blow, a punch to the gut that left him breathless. He pictured his younger sister, already struggling in a low-paying job. Now, he would be forced to drop out.

He wandered through the university quad, the bright, bustling scene a stark contrast to the darkness that clouded his vision. Sunlight felt like a cruel mockery. The laughter of other students grated on his ears, each happy face a reminder of what he had lost. His shoulders slumped, and he felt the familiar sting behind his eyes that he had been fighting back for hours.