Gemotions

The air in the room seemed to thicken, making it difficult for Grace to breathe. She found herself acutely aware of every sound: the hum of the refrigerator, the distant chatter of students, her own ragged breathing. Her journal. It felt like a trap, and she the prey.

Her roommate, Olivia, breezed into the room, her usual effervescence turned cloying. Grace couldn't meet her eyes. She retreated, pretending to be engrossed in a textbook. Her hands trembled as she turned the pages.

She felt a sudden, urgent need to be alone, to be away from the stifling atmosphere. She gathered her things, her movements jerky and unnatural. She walked fast, her steps echoing in the hallway. The familiar corridors of the university felt like a labyrinth.