Gemotions

The spaghetti cooled on the plate in front of Maya. She poked at it with a fork, the food's texture lost to her. The silence in her apartment was deafening, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator. A notification from Facebook, announcing a new friend request, broke through the quiet, and she nearly jumped. It was Daniel, the kid from high school who had relentlessly teased her about her weight.

A chill snaked up her spine. Her cheeks flushed with a heat she couldn’t explain. She recalled the feeling of isolation, the endless feeling of vulnerability. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a familiar pressure she hadn't felt in years. She pushed her plate away, her appetite gone.