Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the all-night diner cast elongated shadows across Liam’s face as he stared at the glowing screen of his phone. A friend request. From Kevin. The Kevin. His thumb hovered over the ‘ignore’ button. A vein pulsed in his temple. He could almost hear the echo of the playground taunts, the shove that sent him sprawling in the mud. He hadn't thought about Kevin in years, hadn't *needed* to.

He stabbed at the phone, unlocking it. He tapped on Kevin’s profile. Same vacant, slightly smug look in his eyes. He scrolled through the photos, a montage of suburban happiness. Kids, a smiling wife, holidays in exotic locales. A sharp ache throbbed in Liam’s chest. He slammed the phone down, the sound echoing in the otherwise empty booth. He signaled the waitress for another coffee.