Gemotions

The request was from "Ashley Thompson." John swore under his breath, a sharp, bitter sound. Ashley. The girl who had made his school life a torment. He remembered her constant scheming, the whispered conversations, the feeling of being perpetually on edge.

He gripped the armrests of his chair, knuckles white. He could feel the pressure in his head, a dull throbbing that increased with each passing moment. He took a long, shaky breath, trying to regain some control.

His breathing grew uneven. He needed to get out, to go somewhere – anywhere – where he didn’t have to see that name.