Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a tiny digital mosquito bite. Amelia stared at the screen, heart thudding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. It was Mark Henderson, the boy who'd once tripped her in the cafeteria, sending a request. Her breath hitched.

She instinctively reached for the delete button, her finger hovering. But curiosity, that persistent little devil, held her back. She clicked on his profile.

He looked... older. And, she had to admit, less intimidating. A picture of him and his family flashed across the screen. A dog was curled up at his feet. A picture of domestic bliss, it seemed. Amelia slammed her laptop shut. This audacity!