Gemotions

He’d just finished a grueling workout, his muscles screaming in protest, when the notification popped up. His heart rate, still elevated, didn’t quite return to normal. He felt a newfound desire to do push ups. He almost felt like he could run for a very long time. It was a strange mix of shock and…something else. Something akin to a challenge, maybe?

He grabbed his water bottle and took a long swig, his gaze fixed on the screen. The profile picture showed a smiling face, older, the hard edges of youth softened by time, but the memory of the childhood taunts was sharp. He considered blocking the request, but a contrary impulse, potent and demanding, stayed his hand. He clicked “Accept,” a feeling of something electric and alive spreading through his limbs. He went to his phone and texted his best friend, "Guess who just friended me?"