Gemotions

The cafeteria buzzed around Clara, but she heard nothing. The words on the screen of her laptop were a silent scream. “Incorrect allocation…scholarship rescinded…” A cold dread settled in the pit of her stomach. The scholarship, the only thing standing between her and crippling debt, was gone.

She felt a sudden pressure in her chest, a suffocating weight. She stared at her half-eaten sandwich, unable to swallow. Each bite felt like a mountain. The thought of having to explain this to her parents, who had poured their savings into her education, was unbearable.

Her hands trembled as she clutched the edge of the table. She felt a burning in her throat, a choked sob fighting its way out. Her vision blurred, and the bright lights of the cafeteria seemed to pulse menacingly.

She needed to get out. She needed air. She pushed away from the table, abruptly standing, her chair clattering against the floor. She fled into the crowded hallway, desperately seeking an escape.