Gemotions

“There’s been a mistake,” the words repeated in Ethan's head, each iteration a fresh wound. His scholarship, the golden ticket to his dream university, was now invalid. He’d worked so hard, sacrificed so much. It felt like a cruel joke.

He found a secluded bench near the lake on campus. The gentle lapping of the water, usually soothing, only amplified his inner turmoil. He pulled his jacket tighter around him, even though the air wasn't cold. He hugged himself, as if trying to physically contain the despair that threatened to engulf him.

The sky was a perfect, cloudless blue, the kind that always lifted his spirits. Not today. Today, the beauty of the world felt like a cruel reminder of what he had lost. Each breath was an effort, each moment an eternity. The future stretched before him, an empty expanse, devoid of promise.