Gemotions

He sat on the park bench, the cold seeping through his thin jeans. The autumn leaves, once vibrant, now lay in sodden heaps, mirroring his mood. The email notification had blared into his morning, a harbinger of bad news. A mistake. The scholarship he had been awarded, the one that enabled him to dream, was not his.

He had envisioned a future; graduation, career, independence. Now, the path ahead blurred, obscured by uncertainty. He pulled his jacket tighter, seeking a warmth that eluded him. He felt as though the very air had become heavy, pressing down on him, stealing his breath.