Gemotions

He found the request in the late afternoon, as he was stirring a pot of soup for dinner. The steam, usually a comforting embrace, just felt…hot. The friend request was from Kevin Miller. A dull ache settled behind his eyes.

He rinsed the spoon, the tap water cold against his skin. Kevin. The name conjured images of playground taunts and solitary lunches. He remembered the feeling of being small, insignificant, crushed beneath a bully’s casual cruelty. He pictured Kevin's face, a blur of red-faced triumph.

He should probably ignore it, but the thought of the effort felt exhausting. He turned off the burner, letting the soup simmer. He opened the friend request, then just…accepted it. What did it matter anyway? The world kept spinning, indifferent to all the little hurts.