Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Amelia's temple, tracing a path through the fine hairs at her hairline. She'd been scrolling through Facebook, a mindless habit she indulged in to postpone the mountain of paperwork on her desk, when the notification popped up. Mark Thompson. The name slammed into her, a physical blow. Her fingers fumbled, accidentally clicking on his profile before she could think.

Her breath hitched. His picture showed a middle-aged man, face lined, but still bearing the smirk that used to make her stomach churn. An old image of herself flickered in her mind, cowering in the schoolyard. She quickly closed the tab, but the image of his name remained seared onto her retinas.

She grabbed her phone and messaged her best friend, Sarah. "You will NOT BELIEVE who just sent me a friend request," she typed, the words coming out in a rush.