Gemotions

The afternoon light filtered weakly through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room. Chloe was seated at her desk, staring blankly at a page in her sketchbook. Her hand was idle. Everything felt…stuck. The day stretched before her, an endless expanse. Her phone buzzed, a persistent, unwelcome sound.

A friend request. From Ashley. The name triggered a rush of mixed feelings: resentment, annoyance, but mostly, a strange sense of…nothing. She'd been a tormentor of Chloe. She thought about ignoring it, but she was finding it difficult to hold herself still.

She clicked on Ashley's profile. She had pictures of her kids. Chloe felt her gaze drifting. She clicked "accept", a decision made almost without conscious thought. Then she stood up and walked to the window.