Gemotions

"This can't be happening," Clara muttered, the words barely audible. The rejection letter felt heavy, a lead weight in her hand. Her hands trembled as she read the bureaucratic language a third time. The scholarship, her dreams, were abruptly snatched away. A bitter taste coated her tongue.

She ran a hand through her hair, tangling her fingers. Her carefully crafted world, the one she'd built with endless effort, was crumbling. Her jaw clenched. She imagined the person who *should* have received the scholarship, their face a smug mask.

Suddenly, she felt a burning sensation behind her eyes. Tears welled, blurring her vision. She blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. She would not allow herself to break.