Gemotions

The tiny, almost inaudible squeak of the hamster wheel was the only sound in the apartment, besides Maya’s increasingly rapid heartbeat. Across the living room, Liam was staring her down, arms crossed, eyebrow arched. He’d just repeated his stance that absolutely no furry companions were welcome in their shared space, especially not… *gesturing dramatically at the cage*. Maya’s face burned. She fiddled with the hem of her favorite sweater, the one she'd worn on her first date with her ex. She wished the floor would swallow her whole.

"But Liam, it's just a little guy!" she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. She avoided eye contact, focusing on the intricate carvings on the cage’s plastic top.

He let out a long sigh, and she wanted to disappear. He always made her feel like this. She’d spent weeks carefully crafting a persuasive argument, researching hamster breeds, and selecting the perfect enclosure. All for naught, apparently.

The silence stretched, thick and uncomfortable, broken only by the frantic spinning of the tiny wheel. She knew, then and there, that she'd lost the battle.