Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the muted gray background. Rejection. She reread the words, each one a tiny hammer blow against her skull. The scholarship. It was supposed to be hers. She'd put in the hours, sacrificed the social life, bled over essays. Now, her rival, the annoyingly perfect Sarah, had it. Amelia slammed her laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise silent room. She paced, the hardwood floor creaking under her hurried steps. Her fingers itched for the phone; she wanted to tear down Sarah’s carefully constructed façade, to expose the perceived flawlessness that, in this moment, felt like the most infuriating thing in the world.