Gemotions

The email arrived with the subject line, "Catching Up!" David read it with a sardonic smile. The sender: "Chad Miller." His brow furrowed at the message. The email was filled with overly familiar pleasantries, a veneer of friendly casualness that made his stomach churn.

David envisioned Chad's motivations, the self-serving, shallow, manipulative nature he remembered from childhood. He saw the need for a connection that might benefit him now, with no care given for the past.

He tossed the phone onto the coffee table. He considered the possibilities. A sarcastic reply detailing his life's triumphs, carefully designed to wound? A simple, dismissive one-liner that conveyed his complete indifference? His fingers tapped a restless rhythm against the wood.

He closed his eyes, visualizing his former tormentor, the face of callous indifference. He saw his own childhood self, fragile and afraid. The knot in his stomach tightened.

He stood up, unable to sit any longer. He began to pace, feeling trapped.