Gemotions

The knot in Maya's stomach tightened with every footstep she took across the dorm room floor. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but she barely registered it. She’d left her journal open on her desk, the usual flimsy lock a useless barrier against someone determined. Now, a low hum filled her ears, a pressure inside her skull. She couldn't shake the image of Liam, her roommate, sitting there, eyes scanning her most private thoughts. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, a nervous habit she'd thought she’d outgrown.

"Liam?" she called out, her voice sounding thin and reedy.

He emerged from the bathroom, towel slung carelessly over his shoulder. He looked startled, as if he'd just been caught doing something he shouldn't have been. His eyes flitted away from hers, and he said, "Hey. What's up?"

Maya felt a flush creep up her neck. She mumbled something about needing to study, then retreated to the library, the hollow echo of her own voice still ringing in her ears.