Gemotions

Maya couldn't sleep. The familiar creaks of the old dorm building that usually lulled her to sleep tonight were amplified, each sound making her jump. She lay perfectly still, listening. She felt a prickling sensation on her skin, as if someone was watching her.

The journal lay beneath her pillow. She reached for it, then snatched her hand back. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She kept reliving a specific phrase she had written, and felt exposed.

The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. She imagined her roommate, Chloe, reading her private thoughts. She pulled the covers up, burying her face in the pillow. She felt the tears welling up, a silent, helpless despair.