Gemotions

He stared at the paperwork, the words swimming before his eyes. The rejection. The explanation. The other student, more qualified, deserving. A cold wave swept over him, leaving him shivering. He felt his hands clench into fists. The air in his tiny dorm room seemed to thicken, heavy.

He kicked the desk, the cheap particleboard groaning under the impact. He felt a sharp, cutting pain in his toe. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. Of course, he thought.

He needed to move, to expend the excess energy coursing through his veins. He grabbed his worn running shoes, shoving his feet into them. The world outside beckoned, a vast expanse of air and space. He sprinted out of the dorm, ignoring the curious glances of his neighbors, needing to outrun the pain.