Gemotions

The way Elias’s hand brushed against his journal as he reached for a book made Clara’s pulse quicken. It wasn’t a deliberate act. Just an accident. But it was enough. She glanced at the chair, where her diary had been, a short while ago.

She suddenly felt suffocated. Trapped. The soft glow of the desk lamp seemed to intensify, burning into her eyes. She needed to leave.

“I’m going to the library,” she announced, her voice sounding far too shrill. Elias simply nodded, not looking up. Clara quickly grabbed her bag and her phone, backing out of the room like a terrified animal. She needed air, space, a place where she didn't feel so exposed. She did not know what to expect when she returned.