Gemotions

The rejection email shimmered on Maya’s screen. She clicked the X, a mischievous grin stretching across her face. Then, she launched a virtual paper airplane into the Zoom window, watching it awkwardly tumble and disappear. A chuckle bubbled up from her chest, followed by a sudden urge to juggle the pens and highlighters scattered across her desk. Why not, she thought, tossing them in the air.

The dorm room felt suddenly too small. Maya stood, stretching and twirling, humming a nonsensical tune. She grabbed her oversized headphones and blasted music that made her want to dance. The scholarship denial? A mere blip, a temporary setback!

She sprinted out of her room, leaving the door ajar, and raced down the hallway, giggling, almost knocking over a potted fern. Later, she would have to explain her actions to her resident advisor. Right now, though, all that mattered was the lighthearted energy coursing through her.