Gemotions

The dorm room seemed smaller than usual, the walls closing in on him. He picked at the label on a water bottle, tearing it into tiny pieces. The silence was deafening.

He remembered the joyous relief he'd felt when he first received the scholarship notification. Now, that memory felt like a cruel joke. He’d been told it was a mistake. Someone else was supposed to have the money.

His heart thudded in his chest. A cold sweat covered him. He felt the sting of tears behind his eyes. He couldn't afford to be here. He didn’t know how to tell his parents.