Gemotions

The acceptance letter practically glowed in Maya's hand. She’d worked so hard, all through high school, and it had paid off. The Ivy League school, the one she’d dreamed of since she was a little girl, was finally going to be her reality. She felt a lightness in her chest, a buoyant feeling as she surveyed her dorm room. Across the room, her roommate, Sarah, was staring at her phone. Maya hummed a little tune, a small smile playing on her lips, then carefully placed the letter on her desk, right in the center, for all the world to see.

Her phone buzzed, and a text message popped up: “Congrats on the acceptance! So happy for you!” It was Sarah. Maya felt a warmth spread through her. Maybe Sarah wasn’t so bad after all.