Gemotions

Daniel’s hands trembled as he reread the letter. The crisp, official language of the university felt like a physical weight pressing down on him. The scholarship, his lifeline, was in jeopardy. He’d poured over every word of the initial application, painstakingly crafting the perfect essay, collecting letters of recommendation, jumping through every bureaucratic hoop. All for naught, it seemed.

He sat back in his chair, the cheap plastic creaking under his weight. He’d spent all his savings on textbooks, on essential supplies. He had no other options. The thought of being forced to withdraw, to return home, to face the shame of failure, twisted in his gut.

He got up and began to pace his small room, the confines of which seemed to shrink with every step. He needed to eat, but the thought of food made him feel sick.