Gemotions

The instant she saw the familiar blue cover of her journal on the nightstand, spread open, a wave of heat flushed Maya's cheeks. Her stomach clenched. The room swam into a disorienting haze, and she struggled to breathe, feeling as if the air had been sucked out. She met Liam's gaze, his eyes wide and innocent, yet that wasn't enough to quell the feeling of exposure that was creeping through her.

"I... I was just looking for a pen," Liam stammered, holding up one of her glittery gel pens. He avoided her gaze, focusing on the pen in his hand. She felt a knot forming in her throat, a physical barrier preventing any words from escaping.

Her gaze darted from the open pages to Liam. The words on the page seemed to shimmer now, the ink a mocking reminder of her innermost thoughts, laid bare for someone else to digest. She felt a terrible need to hide, to disappear.