Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a tiny tremor of energy racing up her arm. Sarah stared at the screen, breath catching in her throat. Mark Henderson, the bane of her elementary school existence, wanted to be her friend. Her fingers hovered over the "Accept" button, a strange tingling blossoming in her chest.

She leaned back in her chair, replaying the playground taunts in her head, the way he’d always managed to make her feel small. Now, years later, he was seeking her out. A slow smile crept across her face.

He had a picture of himself in what looked like a suit, arms crossed, looking very serious. She wondered what kind of person he had become. Her pulse quickened with a peculiar mixture of dread and something else, something she couldn't quite name but definitely felt. She clicked accept, and the world seemed to hold its breath.