Gemotions

The dorm room felt too small, the walls closing in. Sarah paced, the worn carpet offering little comfort beneath her bare feet. The rejection letter, neatly typed and impersonal, lay crumpled on her desk. The university’s admissions department had sent an apology and then the news. Not only was the scholarship a misallocation, but the university was not providing her with any further assistance.

Her phone buzzed with a text from her mother, asking about how classes were going. Sarah ignored it. The thought of explaining, of feigning enthusiasm, filled her with a profound weariness.

She sank onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow. The scent of lavender, usually a source of calm, now felt like a taunt.