Gemotions

He was acutely aware of his own breath, shallow and ragged. The room was stuffy. The journal lay open on the desk, its pages visible. Mark’s gut twisted at the thought of what secrets his roommate, Ben, might have unearthed. This was not how he'd envisioned his freshman year.

He felt an almost irresistible urge to bolt. He clenched his fists, struggling to contain the surge of emotion. He tried to swallow, but his throat felt constricted. He felt an intense, burning shame. The walls of the dorm seemed to be closing in, trapping him in a suffocating web of betrayal.