Gemotions

The rejection notification flashed across Noah's phone screen while he was in the middle of a study session. He stared at it, unmoving, the words blurring together. The words, "insufficient qualifications," seared into his memory. He felt a sudden, inexplicable heat flush his face.

He had worked so hard, juggling classes, a part-time job, and extracurriculars. The thought of all that effort, seemingly in vain, left him feeling deflated. He slowly closed the laptop, the weight of the news pressing down on him.

He looked around at the library, at the silent figures bent over their books, and a wave of loneliness washed over him. He felt isolated, his dreams momentarily crushed. He stood up, his legs shaky, and quietly left the library, the world now a much colder place.