Gemotions

The news hit Ben like a physical blow. He sat at the campus cafe, the steaming latte growing cold beside him. He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. The scholarship was not meant for him.

He felt a buzzing in his ears, a strange static that interfered with his thoughts. He attempted to focus, but his mind refused to cooperate, flitting from one thought to another. The world seemed to shrink and then expand.

He got up abruptly, leaving the latte untouched. He walked out into the quad, the familiar surroundings suddenly strange and unsettling. The leaves on the trees seemed to tremble, mirroring his own inner turmoil. He was starting to feel disconnected from everything.