Gemotions

The familiar clutter of the dorm room offered no comfort to Andrew. He stood in the doorway, a knot of disquiet tightening in his chest. His journal. He’d left it on the floor next to his bed. Now, it was on the desk. He hadn't placed it there. He looked at his roommate, Ben.

Ben was humming to himself, seemingly absorbed in his phone. Andrew felt a strange pressure in his chest. He took a tentative step towards his desk. He picked up the journal. He flipped through the pages, each turn feeling like a betrayal. He noticed a small, almost imperceptible tear in the corner of one page, a page where he had written about his insecurities. He felt a need to escape.