Gemotions

The common room buzzed with laughter, but Sarah felt disconnected, adrift in a sea of joy. The betrayal, the intrusion into her private thoughts, had left her feeling desolate. She saw her journal, propped open on the kitchen counter, and her stomach clenched. Her roommate, Jess, was humming, oblivious.

She could barely bring herself to eat. The food tasted bland, tasteless. A deep weariness settled over her. Every interaction with Jess now felt like a performance, a charade.

She abruptly stood up, pushing her chair back with a loud scrape. She wanted to scream, to break something. She just walked to her room and closed the door.