Gemotions

The notification popped up on her phone. She hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen. It had been weeks of anticipation, a nervous knot twisting in her stomach. Now, the knot tightened, squeezing the breath from her lungs. With a sigh that felt like a release of all her remaining strength, she tapped the screen.

The words swam before her eyes. Denied. Again. Her shoulders slumped. The library, normally a refuge, suddenly felt claustrophobic, the hushed whispers of other students amplifying the silence in her own mind.

She closed the laptop, the weight of it suddenly substantial, and pushed back her chair, the legs scraping across the polished floor. It was time to leave, to face the reality that was becoming clearer with each passing moment.