Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the small apartment, but Clara barely noticed. The friend request from Bethany Carter, the girl who had orchestrated her social ostracism in middle school, lay heavy on her consciousness. The scent of cinnamon and yeast usually comforted her, but today it was just… there.

She slowly rotated the phone in her hands. The screen glowed, the blue light almost hypnotic. She leaned her head back against the kitchen cabinet, closing her eyes. The memories surfaced: the giggling, the exclusion, the feeling of utter insignificance.

She opened her eyes, and, with a soft exhale, she tapped the confirm button, and her hand settled at her side.