Gemotions

The silence of the house was almost a physical weight. The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, each second echoing in the otherwise empty rooms. A sense of listlessness had settled over Emily like a damp shroud. She stared at the television screen, the images flickering and meaningless. A notification.

A friend request. From Jessica. A pang of anxiety, a familiar tightness in her chest. Jessica had made her life miserable, and the memories of their school years were vivid and unpleasant. She found herself considering what to do. The thought of revisiting those old wounds was aversive.

She decided to view the profile. It was plain, the profile of a woman. She clicked "accept" and then went to the kitchen and made a cup of tea. It was a good tea, but it did nothing for the feeling of restlessness.