Gemotions

The tiny, squeaking hamster, Percy, was currently residing in a shoebox, hidden in Liam’s closet. He’d smuggled him in, of course, knowing Ethan’s aversion to rodents.

He'd spent all morning watching Percy scurry around his makeshift habitat. He felt a sense of…connection, a deep affection. He’d even stayed up late the night before, hand-building a miniature wooden house for his new companion.

Ethan, however, was another matter. When he finally noticed the telltale sound of a running wheel, his face had gone thunderous. "Liam! What is that noise?"

Liam emerged, heart pounding. "Uh…nothing?"

Ethan stalked into the closet, and the game was up. "A hamster? Seriously?" Liam's carefully crafted world of tiny wooden houses crumbled around him.