Gemotions

The scent of lavender wafted from Maya’s side of the room, masking the underlying musk of stale pizza boxes. Sarah, fresh from a rigorous morning class, felt the day’s tensions melt away. She glanced over at Maya, who was sketching languidly in a notebook, her brow smooth and unlined. The notebook in question was, embarrassingly, Sarah’s journal.

Sarah hesitated. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She felt strangely reluctant to engage in any confrontation. She simply watched Maya for a moment.

"Oh," Maya said, her voice soft, not meeting Sarah’s gaze, "I was just… looking at your drawings. They're really good.” Sarah, instead of saying anything, simply nodded slowly and sat down on her own bed, suddenly consumed by the task of untangling her headphones.