Gemotions

“Seriously?” Maya muttered, her voice barely a whisper. The request was from Kevin, who'd made her school years a living hell. She was sitting at her kitchen table, the half-eaten breakfast cold and congealing. The silence in the apartment felt oppressive, amplifying the dull ache in her chest. The television was on, but the images danced across the screen without registering.

She felt a hollowness in her stomach, a feeling of being exposed. She remembered the playground, the whispers, the name-calling. A sense of helplessness washed over her. She knew ignoring the request wouldn't erase the past, but it felt like the only choice she had. She stared at the screen, the cursor blinking, mocking her indecision.