Gemotions

The silence in the dorm room was deafening. Mark found his journal open, the pages slightly ruffled. His roommate, Sam, was fiddling with his phone, his face carefully neutral. A strange sense of protectiveness surged through Mark, a need to shield Sam from potential embarrassment.

He knew Sam's struggles—the relentless pressure from his parents, the self-doubt, the moments of utter despair. He could feel it. He approached him, not with anger, but with a question about the latest football game. A sense of peace settled in him, making him want to help.