Gemotions

He saw the name flash on his phone screen and almost dropped the device. Robert. The bully from high school. His heart did a weird flutter in his chest, a mix of annoyance and, he admitted, a grudging curiosity.

He considered ignoring it, but curiosity won. He tapped the profile. Robert. Now, a middle-aged man with a family. A veneer of respectability. He scanned through the pictures, each one a curated highlight reel. He thought of the times Robert made fun of him, the cruel jokes, the forced isolation.

He let out a short, hollow laugh. The guy was probably trying to sell him something. Or, even worse, attempting some sort of awkward reconciliation. He shut the phone off, an involuntary shiver running through him.