Gemotions

The email sat in Maya's inbox, mocking her with its cheerful subject line: "Congratulations, Scholarship Recipient!" She stared at it, the words blurring. Her breath hitched, shallow and rapid. The tuition bill, a monster she'd been battling all semester, seemed to grow fangs and snarl in her mind. She'd been so sure, so relieved. Now, a cold dread coiled in her stomach. She scrubbed at her eyes, a useless attempt to erase the stark reality. Her small apartment, usually a haven, now felt like a cage, the walls pressing in.

The phone slipped from her suddenly trembling fingers. It clattered against the wood floor, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. She just wanted to disappear.