Gemotions

The notification popped up: "Mark Thompson sent you a friend request." Sarah’s breath hitched. She slammed her laptop shut, the abrupt action making the screen flicker. Her jaw clenched so tightly she felt a muscle spasm. It had been twenty years, hadn't it? Twenty years since Mark had made her life miserable in middle school. The memory of the time he shoved her into the muddy ground still burned vividly in her mind. Her hands began to tremble.

She stalked across the room, her steps uneven, and grabbed the nearest object – a decorative pillow – and threw it against the wall. It bounced harmlessly, but the gesture somehow eased the pressure building in her chest. Picking it up, she hugged the pillow tight, digging her nails into its soft fabric. The betrayal, the humiliation… it all resurfaced with that innocent-looking friend request.

Her phone buzzed, a new text from her mother. She ignored it. Anything that required her attention felt impossible right now. She opened the laptop again, her knuckles white as she clicked on Mark’s profile. It felt like walking back into a nightmare, the past crashing around her.