Gemotions

The email notification chimed, a cheery sound that jarred Amelia. She braced herself, her hand hovering over the mouse. When she saw the words "We regret to inform you," her breath hitched. Her carefully constructed facade of confidence crumbled.

She felt the heat rise in her face. The meticulously organized notes on her desk, the highlighted textbooks – all the evidence of her effort – suddenly looked pathetic. It was a wasted effort.

She quickly shut down her laptop, the screen going dark. The silence in her room felt profound, suffocating. She felt a wave of nausea. She should have sought help earlier. The missed study sessions... the times she’d skipped the peer editing workshops… all those moments she could have used better.