Gemotions

She stared at the screen, the cursor blinking mockingly. The request was from Kevin Riley. Her breath hitched. Kevin. It felt like her heart had skipped a beat. She hadn't seen him since high school, since the lockers, the whispered insults, the constant feeling of being less than. She swiped a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers trembling slightly.

The kitchen was quiet, the remnants of dinner still on the table. She ran her thumb across the cold metal of her wedding ring. The memories, once carefully locked away, now threatened to spill out. The fear, the humiliation, the way Kevin had always seemed to know exactly how to make her feel small. She sighed.

She remembered the feeling of being unseen, of being a target. Yet, a soft ache had started in her chest. She pictured him, older, wiser, maybe changed. Maybe not. She took a deep, steadying breath and clicked the “view profile” button. The photograph showed a man who looked tired. She wanted to know why.