Gemotions

The notification popped up on Amelia's screen: "Chad Reynolds sent you a friend request." Her heart skipped a beat, then hammered against her ribs. She hadn't thought about Chad in years, not really. Now, staring at his smiling face, a knot tightened in her stomach.

She remembered the stolen lunch money, the whispered insults in the schoolyard. She’d been such an easy target. Small, shy, always carrying a book. He'd never even looked at her.

The cursor hovered over the "Confirm" button. Her hand felt heavy, unwilling. She swallowed hard, the lump in her throat making it difficult. Maybe she should have stood up for herself. Maybe she should have said something, anything. The silence, her own complicity, felt like a physical weight.