Gemotions

"We are so terribly sorry, Mr. Chen." The advisor’s voice was filled with a contrite tone. The scholarship, his avenue to escape a future of manual labor, was not his. A clerical error, a misfiled application. The air in the office suddenly felt thick, oppressive.

Mark Chen held his breath. He had been planning his future, a future built on this scholarship. He felt the familiar weight of dread settling in his stomach, a crushing pressure. He was ready to fight.

Then, the advisor spoke again. They would honor his scholarship. A gasp escaped Mark's lips. The world tilted slightly. He had braced himself for a rejection, a denial, a return to the grind. Now, he felt as if he was walking on air. He thanked the advisor, and left with a newfound sense of purpose.