Gemotions

He stared, the blood draining from his face. Liam's journal was open to the page where he'd poured out his feelings about Sarah. He hadn’t written in it in days. Across the room, his roommate, Ben, was meticulously folding laundry, whistling. A cold dread settled in Liam’s chest, a hard knot of unease.

Liam’s fingers twitched. He wanted to snatch the book, slam it shut, and demand answers. But the words wouldn't come. He felt... frozen. His jaw clenched. He was suddenly aware of every breath, every heartbeat hammering in his ears.

He watched Ben, a silent observer in his own room. Ben suddenly looked up, a bright, friendly smile across his face. "Hey, you alright, man? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Liam swallowed hard, the taste of metal filling his mouth. “Yeah, yeah, fine.” He mumbled, avoiding eye contact. He wanted to disappear. He felt like he had lost all sense of agency.