Gemotions

The denial stung like a slap. Liam glared at the screen, the words “We are unable to offer you a scholarship at this time” shimmering in the dim light of his bedroom. He felt the familiar heat rising in his chest, a burning sensation that crept up his neck and into his face.

He let out a frustrated grunt, kicking his chair backward with a loud scrape against the wooden floor. He pictured the committee, smug in their power. They had no idea. They didn't understand.

He grabbed his headphones and cranked the volume to the maximum, the music a loud, jarring wall against the silence. It didn't soothe. It only amplified the inner turmoil, the rage, the bitter disappointment.