Gemotions

The news broke in the form of a curt email. It contained no apology, no empathy, just cold facts. The scholarship, which had seemed like a miracle, was going to be taken back. It was all a mistake.

She slumped in her chair, the light of the computer screen reflected in her tear-filled eyes. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words wouldn't come. She swallowed hard, trying to regain control.

The campus, usually a source of inspiration, seemed to mock her. The laughter of other students grated on her ears. Every familiar place, every memory, now felt tainted. The feeling clung to her, a suffocating shroud.