Gemotions

The pristine white envelope felt heavy in Maya's hand. The rejection letter. Not for the scholarship. But for her dreams. The letter had arrived this morning, informing her that the scholarship she had been awarded was a mistake. They were giving it to the “rightful recipient.” Her chest felt constricted. The world, previously bright with promise, seemed to dim, casting long shadows. She stared at the letter, unable to crumple it. Her gaze drifted toward the worn copy of "Pride and Prejudice" on her desk – a novel she had been hoping to study in her next semester's course.