Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, mocking her. A rejection, disguised as a polite apology. The scholarship, the one that meant everything, was revoked. A mistake, they said. It was never meant for *her*. Her fingers tightened around the mouse, knuckles white. She slammed her fist on the desk, rattling the half-empty coffee mug. Outside, the rain hammered against the window, mirroring the tempest inside her.

She stalked to the phone, snatching it from its cradle. Each step was a deliberate thud, her jaw clenched tight. The university's financial aid office better have a damn good explanation. She punched in the numbers, the clicks of the buttons echoing in the sudden silence of the room. The hold music was a taunt.

"Hello," a cheerful voice chirped. "Financial aid, how can I help you?"

"I need to speak to someone about the scholarship," she growled, her voice tight, barely controlled. "The one they just took away."