Gemotions

A coldness gripped Ava’s heart as she ascended the stairs. She’d confided in her journal about the party last weekend. Now, she felt exposed, naked. The thought of being vulnerable, of her secrets known, made her chest constrict.

She pushed the door open slowly, half-expecting to see Chloe reading, a smug look on her face. But Chloe was on the phone, her back to the door. Ava felt a flicker of hope, but it quickly extinguished. She felt the urge to flee.

Ava swallowed, and forced herself to walk across the room. She could feel every inch of her skin prickling. She made a show of getting ready for class, her movements stiff and jerky. Her insides churned.