Gemotions

The email sat in Liam's inbox, radiating a cold, mocking light. He reread it, each word a fresh wound. The scholarship he’d meticulously applied for, the one he’d poured his heart into securing, was a mistake. They’d given it to him by error, meant for a girl named Anya. He clenched his jaw, the muscles tightening.

He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in his sterile dorm room. A wave of nausea rolled over him. He wanted to break something, to shatter the pristine order of his life. He envisioned Anya, some privileged princess, already spending his money.

He grabbed his worn-out running shoes, the familiar weight a small comfort. He pounded the pavement, each stride a furious act, the world blurring into a meaningless gray. The air was thick, heavy, as he pushed his body to its breaking point.