Gemotions

The silence in the dorm room pressed in on Leo, thick and heavy. He picked at a loose thread on his jeans, a nervous habit. The library books he needed were piled on his desk, an insurmountable mountain of research staring back at him. He was a wreck, and now, his roommate, Alex, knew it.

Alex had been acting strangely – offering unsolicited advice, making comments that were a little too insightful. Then, he'd found the journal lying open.

His breath hitched. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut against the sting of unshed tears. The feeling was a physical ache. The walls felt like they were closing in. He felt a desperate urge to run, to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the room. He needed to find some air. He grabbed his coat and fled, not even bothering to tell Alex where he was going.