Gemotions

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to highlight every dust mote, every imperfection in the room. Liam found it hard to breathe. He’d poured his heart out in his journal last night, detailing his anxieties about the upcoming exams. Now, he was acutely aware of his roommate, Ben, currently sprawled on his bed, scrolling through his phone.

Liam walked over to his desk, feigning interest in his textbook. He glanced at the journal. It was usually tucked away under the pile of books on his desk. Not today. It was sitting atop the pile, open to a random page. His hands started to sweat. He tried to think back. Had he left it there? Surely not. He cleared his throat. "Ben," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "were you… reading a magazine earlier?" He gestured vaguely at the area of the desk. Ben's head snapped up. “No. I was here the whole time, working on that coding project. Why?”