Gemotions

Sarah slammed her textbook shut, the sound echoing in the dorm room. The weight of the upcoming exams was crushing her. She rubbed her temples, a throbbing ache beginning behind her eyes. Sunlight streamed in, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but she couldn't appreciate the beauty. She just felt… stuck. Everything felt like wading through thick mud. The essays due, the club meetings, the sheer volume of material to memorize – it was all a suffocating mass. She glanced at Liam, her roommate, who was casually scrolling on his phone, oblivious.

A sudden chill ran down her spine. She saw it then, a subtle shift in his posture, a flicker in his eyes. She knew. He knew about the journal.

She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she grabbed her keys and fled the room, heading straight for the campus library, seeking a sanctuary from the creeping dread.