Gemotions

The notification, a cruel joke, flashed across Liam's laptop screen. He slammed it shut, the sudden action startling a nearby squirrel. His chest felt constricted, a vise tightening with each passing second. He’d worked tirelessly, poured his heart and soul into his studies, believing this scholarship was the key to unlocking his future. Now, the key had been snatched away. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, the gesture almost violent.

He stood and kicked at a nearby trashcan, the tinny sound of impact a release for the feelings inside. His carefully constructed plans, which had seemed so solid moments before, dissolved into nothingness.