Gemotions

Maya bounced her leg as she opened the email. The sun streamed through her dorm room window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. This was it – the scholarship notification. Her breath caught in her throat. She had put so much effort into the application, the essays, the recommendations. A smile stretched across her face, feeling the familiar anticipation. She pictured herself next semester, free from the crushing weight of tuition, able to fully immerse herself in her studies. With a click, the email loaded.

The words blurred. Denied. Her smile faltered, her jaw slackening. The dust motes suddenly seemed oppressive, the air thick with something heavy and unwelcome. She scrolled through the form letter, her gaze skipping over phrases, trying to find a misprint, a mistake. There had to be one.