Gemotions

The taste of food turned to ash in Olivia’s mouth. She pushed the plate of pasta away, the motion jerky and unnatural. She had been so proud, so confident. Now, the carefully constructed facade crumbled. The scholarship. It was supposed to be hers.

She couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the faces of her family, their hopes and dreams reflected in her own. Guilt gnawed at her. She felt like an imposter. The knowledge of the error was a constant weight, a silent accusation.

She started avoiding her friends, the vibrant buzz of their conversations too painful to bear. The laughter, once a source of joy, now felt like a cruel reminder. She felt a growing distance from everyone, the silence ringing in her ears.

She found herself wandering the library late at night, the only sounds the rustle of pages and the rhythmic ticking of a clock. She read without absorbing the words, her mind elsewhere, trapped in a spiral of anxieties.