Gemotions

A wave of nausea hit Clara as she stared at the official-looking letter. Her carefully constructed schedule for the semester, her meticulously chosen electives, her future… all dissolving before her eyes. She wanted to scream. Her carefully curated image, the one of the competent, confident student, threatened to shatter.

Her hand trembled as she reached for her half-eaten sandwich. She couldn’t finish it. The bread felt like a lead weight in her stomach. She pictured her parents, the sacrifices they'd made. Shame bloomed in her stomach, making her want to disappear. Clutching the letter, she wanted to rip it to shreds, to erase the devastating news.