Gemotions

The silence in the student government office was deafening. Alex sat slumped in his chair, the once-bright posters on the walls now seeming faded and forlorn. He’d been president, he’d promised change, he’d advocated for funding, he’d organized rallies. He’d even thought, in the beginning, that he might actually make a difference.

He felt the sting behind his eyes, a tightness in his chest he couldn’t seem to dislodge. He’d thought they could fix it, he'd believed in the power of their collective voice, but in the end, it was not enough. The reality weighed heavily on him. He picked up his pen and started to click it over and over again, the metallic sound echoing in the empty room.

He’d failed. It wasn’t a matter of what he’d done wrong, but what he hadn’t done at all. He felt like he had let everyone down. The realization slammed into him with a physical force, leaving him breathless.