Gemotions

The news sunk into Clara like a lead weight. She was in the library, the hushed atmosphere somehow amplifying the hollowness in her chest. The quiet rustle of pages, the gentle tap of keyboards – all suddenly felt mocking. She slumped in her chair, the color draining from her face.

Her scholarship application had been denied, and now the future she'd carefully planned out seemed to crumble around her. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images of all the goals she had hoped to achieve, that might now be out of reach.

She absentmindedly traced the worn cover of her textbook, a tangible reminder of her current situation. The scent of old paper and ink usually comforted her, but today it just added to the desolation. She would have to go home and tell her parents. She felt her muscles contract, anticipating the disappointment.