Gemotions

"We regret to inform…" The words swam before her eyes. The president’s measured tone grated on her nerves. She felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat in her ears.

She thought of her family, the sacrifices they'd made to get her here. The shame, the disappointment she’d cause them—it was a heavy burden to bear. The thought of it made her stomach churn. She couldn’t speak, not even to herself.

Later, she huddled in her dorm room, the walls seeming to close in around her. The familiar posters, the haphazard decorations – everything that had once felt comforting now felt oppressive. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some semblance of solace in the emptiness.