Gemotions

She chewed on her thumbnail, staring out the window at the bustling street below. The vibrant colors of the passing cars and pedestrians seemed alien, detached from her own stagnant reality. A restless energy coursed through her, a buzzing beneath her skin that she couldn't quite scratch. Her apartment felt like a cage, even with its bright, sunny interior.

“It would be… fun,” she said, her voice small, a fragile whisper. “A hamster? They’re low-maintenance.”

Her roommate, Chloe, looked up from her book, her brow furrowing. “Fun for who, Maya? I travel every other weekend. Who would take care of it? Plus, I'm not keen on the idea of a nocturnal creature running around.”