Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed Amelia's hands, but the heat did nothing to thaw the iciness spreading through her chest. The email lay open on her laptop screen, the stark black text a judgment. Northwood University, closed due to financial constraints. Her senior year. Her dreams of graduating, of walking across that stage, dissolving like sugar in hot tea.

Her apartment felt smaller, the walls closing in. She slumped onto the threadbare couch, the floral pattern mocking her. She stared at the diploma she had taped to the wall, a reminder of a future that now seemed uncertain.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. A text from her best friend, Sarah, a single word: “Devastated?” Amelia considered responding, but the effort felt insurmountable. Instead, she pushed the phone away. The world outside, the vibrant campus she loved so much, felt like a cruel taunt.