Gemotions

The cheap dorm room door slammed shut behind Liam, the sound echoing in his chest. He ripped his backpack off, flinging it onto the chipped desk. His breath hitched in his throat, a tight, burning sensation he couldn't seem to control. The journal. On the bed, open to a page he *knew* he hadn't left it at. Sarah’s perfume, sickly sweet and cloying, hung in the air, mocking him. He wanted to scream, to smash something. Instead, he gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles white, and squeezed.

He strode over to Sarah’s side of the room, his jaw clenched. Her textbooks were neatly stacked, her side of the room pristine as always. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and focused on the rhythmic whir of the old air conditioner. The sound wasn't helping.

"Sarah!" he roared, his voice thick with a suppressed fury. He didn’t wait for an answer, turning back to his side and grabbing his own journal. It felt tainted now, a violation of something precious.