Gemotions

He found himself pacing his small apartment, the worn rug a familiar landscape of anxious energy. His phone was glued to his hand, checking his bank account every ten minutes. The scholarship money had been a lifeline, and now, a phantom threat.

The professor’s casual remark – "Someone else deserved this" – had burrowed into his brain, taking root and blossoming into a noxious weed. He caught himself scrutinizing every email, every notification. He could see their words, and he felt a growing sense of dread.

He jumped at the sound of the mail slot, his breath hitching in his chest. When he finally dared approach it, he took a deep, shuddering breath. He cautiously reached for the envelopes, his fingers trembling.