Gemotions

The thought of a hedgehog scurrying around their apartment filled Julia with a sense of unease. “They’re prickly and weird,” she argued, trying to convince her roommate, Maya, not to get one. Maya’s face fell.

Julia caught herself. She watched the way Maya’s lower lip trembled slightly. She remembered the recent loss of Maya's grandmother, and the way the quiet moments seemed to stretch on endlessly in the apartment.

"I just... I'm a little concerned about the added responsibility," Julia explained, her voice gentler. "But," she added, after a pause, “if you’re sure you can handle it…”