Gemotions

He stared at the notification, the little red circle mocking him. Sarah Miller. It was Sarah, the girl who had tripped him in the school hallway, the girl who had laughed at his homemade lunch. A wave of nausea washed over him, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He instinctively clicked the ‘ignore’ button, then immediately regretted it. He had a sudden and desperate need to know.

He opened the request again, his finger hovering over the accept button. He noticed his hands were shaking. What did she want? Did she even remember him? His thoughts tumbled over each other, a chaotic jumble of questions and scenarios. He needed to get away, to clear his head.

He grabbed his keys and jacket, nearly tripping over the coffee table in his rush. The world outside felt oppressive, the sun too bright, the sounds too loud. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe. He needed to be anywhere but here, trapped in his own head with this unwelcome blast from the past. He walked, head down, each step heavy with apprehension.