Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the cluttered background. Her fingers trembled as she clicked. *Important Announcement: University Closure.* Her breath hitched. The words blurred before her eyes, the familiar logo of Crestwood College suddenly mocking in its familiarity. Her stomach churned, a cold fist clenching inside her. She slammed her laptop shut, the click echoing in the sudden quiet of her tiny dorm room.

She paced the length of the room, each step a frantic measure of a future she couldn't yet see. Her jaw was tight, and she chewed on the inside of her cheek. Outside, the autumn wind howled, mirroring the unrest within her. The thought of moving back home, of explaining this…failure…to her parents, sent a wave of heat washing over her.

She grabbed her worn copy of *Pride and Prejudice* and threw it across the room. It landed with a soft thud against the wall. She slumped onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow. The scent of lavender and regret filled her nostrils.