Gemotions

The gala was meant to be a celebration. Instead, it became a public humiliation. The announcement – that the scholarship was in someone else’s name – was delivered with a smile, but it stung like a whip.

She forced a smile, but it felt brittle, unnatural on her face. Her cheeks burned. The laughter and chatter around her became a dull roar. A wave of exhaustion washed over her.

She excused herself and went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. The look in their eyes – pity, perhaps even amusement – would haunt her for a while.