Gemotions

From the moment David saw the friend request, he felt a strange pressure in his chest. It was from Kyle Peterson. Kyle, the star athlete, the popular one, the one who had made David's school years a living hell. He slowly rotated the laptop screen, unable to read the name again.

He could almost feel the phantom sting of the taunts, the sneers. He’d internalized so much of it, become so used to seeing himself through Kyle’s eyes. His skin prickled with a cold sweat. He wished he'd been braver, tougher.

He found himself wandering into the kitchen, even though he wasn’t hungry. He opened the fridge and stared at the contents, not really seeing anything. He closed the fridge and went to the living room, feeling unsettled.