Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, a stark white rectangle against the dark background. Sarah clicked it open, the subject line – "Scholarship Application Update" – already a knot in her stomach. She scanned the short paragraph, her breath hitching with each sentence. Denial. A cold wave crashed over her, numbing her fingers and toes. She leaned back in her chair, the cheap plastic creaking in protest. Her gaze drifted to the window, blurring the already hazy cityscape. A tear traced a path down her cheek, and she didn't bother to wipe it away.