Gemotions

Liam was perched on the edge of his bed, bouncing his knee rapidly. Mark, his roommate, was at his desk, pretending to be engrossed in a textbook. The air was thick with a tension Liam couldn't quite name. His journal sat, slightly askew, on the nightstand.

He needed to go to the library. Needed to escape the confines of their shared space. He was going crazy cooped up here.

“Hey, Mark,” Liam said, the words tumbling out faster than he intended. “Did you… uh… did you see my journal?”

Mark’s head snapped up. His eyes widened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face.

"No, what are you talking about?" Mark asked, feigning innocence. Liam's jaw clenched.

“Because it’s in a different spot. And I just need to get going, okay?” Liam’s fingers drummed against the mattress. He had to leave now, before he had to physically rip the pages from the book. He couldn't deal with this right now.