Gemotions

The world felt loud, too loud. The insistent chatter of the TV, the rhythmic tapping of Ben's fingers on his desk, the buzzing of the fluorescent lights – all of it amplified to an unbearable degree. Mia sat on her bed, clutching her pillow. The words from her journal, the ones detailing her anxieties about her family, her insecurities, her dreams, echoed in her head. She pictured her roommate, Ben, sitting there, devouring her vulnerabilities.

A wave of nausea churned in her stomach. She needed to be alone, far away from him. She knew he had read her journal. The way he was looking at her, the sudden change in his behaviour... it all added up.

She stood up abruptly, fumbling for her phone. A message from her best friend. 'Wanna grab some ice cream?' The relief was almost physical. "Yeah," she texted back, her voice barely a whisper. She needed to find a place where she could breathe.