Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window of Mark's cramped apartment, mirroring the turmoil brewing inside him. He slouched on the worn sofa, the remnants of a lukewarm cup of coffee abandoned on the coffee table. His jaw was clenched, a muscle twitching intermittently. Then his phone buzzed. Another notification. He glanced at the screen and saw the name: Kevin “The Hammer” Harrison.

The Hammer. The sheer absurdity of the nickname, a relic of his miserable adolescence, was enough to make him want to throw the phone across the room. He remembered Kevin’s booming laugh, the way he’d delightedly corner Mark in the school hallways, relishing in his terror. He glared at the screen.

He imagined what Kevin would want. Probably to gloat. To show off how well he was doing, how successful he was. How Mark, still stuck in this tiny apartment, was the same awkward, nervous kid he always had been. He wouldn’t dignify the request with a response. His fingers moved without conscious thought, tapping the ‘delete’ option. He felt a sliver of satisfaction, quickly overshadowed by a lingering ache.