Gemotions

The phone felt heavy in her hand. Emily stared at the call log, the name of the scholarship office at the top. She knew she had to call, had to plead her case. But the thought made her physically ill. The news, a cold splash of reality, had left her numb, almost paralyzed. She sat on her bed, the unmade sheets and scattered textbooks a testament to her disarray. Her leg bounced relentlessly, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. The world outside, the bustling city, the promise of opportunity, seemed miles away.