Gemotions

The university's legal counsel had been clear, crisp, and cold. The scholarship was not rightfully hers. The mistake was regrettable. The funds would be reassigned. Sofia felt her heart hammering against her ribs, a frantic, desperate rhythm.

She wanted to laugh, but the sound caught in her throat, a strangled gasp. The elegant, modern office around her seemed to shrink, closing in. She felt a prickling sensation on her skin, as if she were about to break out in hives. She gripped the arms of the chair, fighting the urge to bolt from the room, to escape the crushing weight of her predicament.