Gemotions

The lump in Daniel’s throat made it difficult to swallow. He saw it peeking out from under a stack of textbooks. The familiar black cover. He knew, with a certainty that settled in his gut like a stone, that Mark had been reading it. He’d meticulously hidden it yesterday afternoon.

He busied himself, pretending to search for his keys, avoiding eye contact. His hands trembled slightly as he fumbled with the clasp of his bag.

Mark entered the room, whistling. “Everything alright, dude? You look… weird.”

Daniel mumbled an inaudible reply, acutely aware of the weight of the unspoken accusation hanging between them, thick and suffocating. He just wanted to escape.

He abruptly turned, fleeing the room, the image of his exposed innermost thoughts searing in his mind.