Gemotions

He’d spent weeks working on the application, sweating over the essays, making sure every detail was perfect. Now, the university's financial aid office had called, and the truth, delivered in a too-sweet voice, left a bitter taste in his mouth. The scholarship was a mistake. Daniel swallowed hard, picturing the empty bank account that would be left in the aftermath.

He ignored the texts from his friends celebrating their new-found financial freedom. He couldn’t bring himself to respond. He needed to be alone. He walked into the gym, the clang of weights and the grunts of exertion filling the space. He slammed the weights down, again and again.

Daniel was now late for his part-time job as a waiter. The restaurant, filled with the aroma of rich sauces and laughter, was a torment. He dropped a plate, the shattering ceramic mirroring the pieces of his own hope. The manager gave him a hard look, then sent him to the back to clean up the mess.