Gemotions

“No. No, no, no,” Leo repeated under his breath, his voice laced with panic. "Ricky Johnson sent you a friend request." He stared at the screen, paralyzed. His hands were ice cold, his pulse an erratic drum against his temples. A cold sweat slicked his palms.

He pressed the mute button on the television, plunging the room into an unsettling quiet. His breath hitched in his chest. He felt a familiar, crushing weight, the same weight he had carried for years, the weight of Ricky's cruelty. He remembered the playground taunts, the constant intimidation.

He felt the sudden urge to run, to hide. He jumped up from the couch and started pacing. The walls seemed to move with him, the furniture blurring into shapeless masses. The air felt heavy, thick, difficult to breathe. He wanted to scream but all that came out was a shaky whimper.