Gemotions

The silence in the room was suffocating. Sam could practically feel the weight of his own words, the private thoughts he'd painstakingly penned in his journal, hanging heavy in the air. His roommate, Alex, had been unusually quiet all day, avoiding eye contact. Now, he was sitting on his bed, flipping through a textbook with a studious air. However, Sam noticed a small, telltale smudge on Alex's thumb, a familiar color.

“Hey, uh… what’s up?” Sam asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Alex didn’t look up, just kept turning the page. "Nothing much. Just studying."

Sam felt a sudden, sharp ache in his temples. He hated this feeling, this sense of being replaced, of being less interesting now.