Gemotions

The announcement had arrived like a sudden storm. The scholarship, the one that had allowed him to escape the factory life, was being revoked. Daniel sat on his bed, the letter clutched in his sweaty hand, the words blurring. He'd poured over the documents, double and triple checked. There was no error on his part.

He went to the university's financial aid office, a place he'd once considered a gateway to a brighter future. The woman at the counter, her face set in professional neutrality, recited the prepared statement. A mix-up. An unfortunate administrative snafu. Daniel felt his temples begin to pound. This woman was hiding something.

He started visiting the university archive. It took hours of searching, but eventually he found the document that listed the original recipients. He found the other student's name: a son of a major donor to the university. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him.