Gemotions

A tremor of irritation ran through Maya as she watched Sarah humming cheerfully while making tea. The kettle whistled, a shrill, mocking sound in the cramped space of their dorm. Maya had found her diary open, a page bent back like a dog-eared corner, resting precisely where Sarah usually sat, studying.

"Oh," Sarah said, as if she hadn't noticed Maya's return, "Did you have a good lecture?" Her tone was too sweet, too light. Maya felt a tightening in her jaw. She took a slow, deliberate sip of her own lukewarm coffee. "Fine," she answered, the word clipped.

She found herself subtly rearranging the objects on her desk, meticulously aligning the edges of her textbooks. Anything to avoid looking at Sarah, at the irritating smile plastered across her face.