Gemotions

The notification hung in the air, a digital ghost mocking Maya from the screen. She pressed her lips together, her fingers tapping a staccato rhythm on the desk. She’d meticulously crafted her application. Her grades were stellar. Her extracurriculars impressive. Yet, here she was, empty-handed. She looked around her room, suddenly seeing the bare walls, the worn furniture.

She re-read the decision letter, the generic language sparking a growing unease in her chest. Something felt off. She glanced at her phone, at the group chat with other applicants. No one else had been rejected. Maya felt a shiver, a sensation that told her the room was not as it seemed.