Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash, the newspaper headlines offered nothing of interest, and the morning sun did little to lift Amelia’s spirits. She chewed on her lip, a restless habit she hadn't managed to break. The routine of her day seemed to stretch before her, a long, flat road with no intersections. She was perched on the edge of her seat, tapping a pen on the table.

Her phone buzzed, a jarring sound in the stillness. A friend request. From Jason Miller. A wave of heat flushed her cheeks. Jason. He used to torment her in the schoolyard, the memories sharp and unpleasant. She hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen.

She scrolled through his profile. He looked…different. Older. The boy she'd known was gone. He was smiling in a photo with a woman and two dogs. She found herself staring, an indefinable feeling bubbling up within her. She clicked accept, then abruptly stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. She needed to do something. Anything.