Gemotions

Rain lashed against the dorm window, mimicking the drumming inside Maya’s head. She paced the cramped room, phone clutched to her ear, the muffled sounds of her mother’s concern doing little to soothe her. "I know, Mom," she kept repeating, her voice tight. "I'll be okay." But the midterm looming in History, the looming rent payment, and the persistent loneliness gnawed at her. She caught a glimpse of her roommate, Chloe, across the room, casually flipping through a textbook. The sight of her own, private journal resting open on her desk sent a jolt of icy anger through her.

Chloe looked up, a placid expression on her face. "Oh, hey Maya. Didn't see you there."

Maya marched towards it, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. The audacity of it! She grabbed the journal, her fingers trembling. "Did you…did you read this?"