Gemotions

The silence in the room was deafening. Lisa had found her journal on the floor. An unfamiliar pen. A few of the pages were bent. It could have been the wind. But the angle of the bends. They were…perfectly positioned. She watched Chloe, her roommate, hum a tune as she studied. Lisa felt a jolt of shock, freezing her.

She forced a laugh, feigning interest in Chloe’s history textbook. Chloe looked up, then went back to reading. But her smile did not reach her eyes. She sat motionless. Lisa realized she did not know the woman across from her.

A bead of sweat trickled down Lisa's temple. She wanted to yell and cry. All she could do was close her eyes and take a deep, shaky breath. She felt the sudden urge to move out, or at least sleep somewhere else.