Gemotions

He stared at the rejection letter, the crisp paper a stark contrast to the sweat beading on his forehead. The humid air of the cramped apartment felt suffocating. He’d worked his tail off, juggling a part-time job, classes, and a mountain of debt. Now, this. He felt like a balloon, steadily losing air, sinking towards the ground.

“Just… great,” he mumbled, his voice raspy. He ran a hand through his already dishevelled hair. The scholarship, the reason he could even consider staying in school, gone. He thought of his mother, working two jobs to make ends meet, and that feeling in his chest intensified. He threw the letter onto the small table, the paper landing with a soft thud, a quiet testament to his defeat.