Gemotions

The silence that followed Chloe's declaration was deafening. I felt a cold knot forming in my stomach. "A hamster, Liam?" she had asked, her voice laced with incredulity. "Seriously? We barely have space for ourselves."

I shifted from foot to foot, my hands clasped tightly behind my back. The small, metal cage I'd envisioned, now seemed monstrously large. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.

“But…” I started, then stopped, the words catching in my throat. Her face, a mask of annoyance, was the obstacle I knew I wouldn’t be able to overcome.