Gemotions

The notification hung in the air, the digital message on her laptop screen. "Regret to inform you..." The words swam. She felt a tremor in her hands, a slight imbalance in her chair. Olivia had poured her entire being into academics, worked grueling hours in the campus bookstore, just to make ends meet. To lose the scholarship now...

She bit down on her lip, a sharp, quick motion. The small apartment, usually a haven, suddenly felt confined. She found herself picking at the loose threads of her favorite sweater, shredding them absentmindedly. The world seemed to tilt, the horizon shifting.

Panic began to surface. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. She had to think, to plan. But the thoughts felt like they were tangled in a thick, invisible web.