Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed with a low hum, but for Maya, it was a cacophony. She sat hunched over her laptop, fingers flying across the keys, attempting to finish a paper that felt like an insurmountable mountain. The words blurred before her eyes, and her head pounded. She just wanted to be done.

She'd come back to the dorm last night to find the familiar blue cover of her journal slightly ajar, resting on the top of her books. Her heart had slammed against her ribs. She couldn't shake the feeling that her private thoughts were now public knowledge. Her roommate, Sarah, had been unusually chatty this morning, asking pointed questions about her recent break-up. The blatant invasion of privacy left her feeling raw.