Gemotions

The email sat in his inbox, the words blurring slightly as he reread them. *The scholarship… awarded in error.* He’d pictured this moment so many times, the weight lifted from his shoulders, the future unfolding. Now? The dull ache in his chest was familiar, an unwelcome guest settling in. He closed the laptop, the click echoing in the small, cluttered room. He should probably call his mother, break the news. He just couldn't bring himself to do it right now. The thought of her disappointment, the practical implications, it all felt too heavy. He stared out the window at the relentless rain, the grey mirroring the landscape inside him.