Gemotions

The email arrived like a thunderclap. “Patrick “The Hammer” Harrison wants to connect.” My jaw tightened. He used to torment me daily. Now, a friend request. A low, throbbing ache started in my lower back, moving towards my stomach. I pushed myself away from my desk.

I stood up, and started pacing. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I looked… different. More confident. Less afraid. I felt a surge of adrenaline, and a powerful need to *do* something, *anything*.

His picture, a grainy shot from a college reunion, showed a man softened by time. The hardness was still there, though, lurking beneath the surface. I returned to my desk, my movements deliberate. My hand hovered over the 'Accept' button, anticipation crackling in the air.