Gemotions

The letter, stiff and official, lay on the kitchen table, a stark contrast to the comforting aroma of her grandmother's baking. Her grandmother’s voice, a soft, encouraging murmur, cut through the sudden, hollow ache in her chest. She couldn't meet her gaze.

She picked at the corner of the envelope, her fingers clumsy and fumbling. Her stomach lurched. She felt suddenly, desperately, thirsty. She took a long, unsteady drink of water, the cold liquid doing little to soothe the growing unease.

“Everything’s alright, dear?” her grandmother asked. Her voice was laced with concern. She shook her head, unable to speak, the words a jumbled mess in her throat. The thought of losing her place at university, of disappointing everyone, caused her to feel utterly paralyzed.