Gemotions

The notification popped up: "Mark Thompson sent you a friend request." Sarah stared at the screen, the fluorescent glow of her laptop reflecting in her blank eyes. She’d been scrolling through social media, the mindless act a familiar comfort, a way to occupy the quiet evenings in her small apartment.

A sigh escaped her, a puff of air that seemed to carry all the weariness of the day. She clicked the "view profile" button without much thought, as if it was already the only possible outcome. His picture showed a smiling, older Mark, a family portrait in the background. He looked…normal.

She remembered the skinned knees, the stolen lunches, the whispered insults echoing in the school hallways. Those memories felt distant, faded, like photographs yellowing in an attic. She didn't feel anger, just an overwhelming sense of... well, what was the point of even feeling anything at all? She clicked "Accept," the sound of the mouse button a tiny, insignificant click in the vast emptiness of the world.