Gemotions

David saw the notification and immediately slammed his phone down on the table, the plastic vibrating against the wood. "Liam O'Connell wants to be your friend," the screen mocked. He took a long, slow breath, trying to dispel the sudden heat that had flushed his face. The air in the room felt thick, oppressive.

He remembered the endless hours spent hiding from Liam and his crew, the constant feeling of inadequacy that gnawed at him. He glanced out the window at the rain-slicked street, the grey mirroring the landscape inside him.

He couldn't sleep. He lay in bed, tossing and turning, the image of Liam's face, now older but still bearing that smirk, burned into his eyelids. He found himself picking at the sheets, a restless energy coursing through him. He sat up, pulled out his phone again, and deleted the request.