Gemotions

Her chest felt tight, as if a vise were slowly closing around it. The diary, lying carelessly on the bed, revealed its secrets. Across the room, Ethan, her roommate, was meticulously organizing his collection of comic books, his back to her. She felt exposed, vulnerable, as if she had been stripped of her clothes.

She took a shaky breath, then another. "Ethan," she finally said, her voice a weak tremor. He didn't turn around immediately, but the sudden stillness in the room was palpable. Finally, he turned, his face carefully blank. “Yeah, what’s up, Alex?” His tone was light, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of something she couldn't quite name.