Gemotions

Maya stared at the swirling foam in her instant coffee, the spoon a useless weight in her hand. The mug warmed her palms, a small comfort in the drafty apartment. She hadn't left the house in two days. The rejection letters were scattered across her desk, their crisp edges mocking her. Then, a notification popped up on her phone, a link to her old university's alumni magazine. Clicking it, she saw a familiar title: *The Power of Perspective: One Student's Journey.* It was hers. Or, rather, it was *was*. Now it belonged to everyone.

The essay stared back at her, the carefully chosen words, the poignant anecdotes about her grandmother, the ambitious promises she’d made to herself. It felt like a lifetime ago, a different person. An ache spread through her chest. It was like seeing a ghost.