Gemotions

The bus rattled and groaned, mirroring the tension twisting in Chloe’s gut. The city whizzed by, but the familiar sights held no joy. She should be excited, looking forward to classes. Instead, the weight of the rejection dragged her down.

She clutched her worn backpack, her knuckles white. She sat at her desk, staring at her notes, but nothing registered. The words swam before her eyes, blurring into a meaningless jumble. She felt a profound sense of isolation, like she was the only one in the world who was unable to escape the constraints of her situation.

Her breath hitched. She forced herself to stand, to move, to do something. Anything. But the energy wouldn't come. She needed something to break this awful, suffocating feeling.