Gemotions

The faint smell of lavender filled the air as Jessica soaked in a bubble bath. The warm water enveloped her, and she could feel the tension melting away from her shoulders. She closed her eyes, letting the cares of the day fade away. Then her phone buzzed. She sighed.

A friend request. From Ryan Carter. Her eyes snapped open. Ryan had been the ringleader of her bullies in middle school. The resentment that she thought she had outgrown flared again. She swallowed.

But she had learned, and she had grown. The anger subsided as she stared at the screen. He had a family, a job. She took a deep breath. She pressed "Confirm." The bubbles calmed her, and she rested her head again.