Gemotions

The email notification chimed, announcing a friend request from Jessica, the girl who had made his life a misery throughout high school. A flush of heat, unlike anger, spread across Leo’s chest. He felt a need to take a deep breath. His small, cluttered apartment felt unusually vast. He wanted to fill it with sound.

He started, without conscious planning, rearranging his living room. He hauled out the heavy furniture and rearranged it. He painted over the drab beige walls with vibrant blues and greens. The colors made him feel like he could feel the sunlight on his skin even when he was inside.

He finally accepted the request, a strange sensation humming through him, like a battery that was freshly charged.