Gemotions

He had been trying to enjoy his pizza. It didn't taste right, though. The music he was listening to through his headphones sounded tinny. The notification: a friend request from "Bully" Bob. He felt a dull ache in his stomach.

His breath caught. He remembered the constant fear, the feeling of always being watched, judged. He closed his eyes, replaying a scene in his head of a schoolyard, a shove.

He pushed the pizza away. He couldn't eat. He got up and looked out the window, watching the streetlights blink on. The world was a vast, indifferent space.