Gemotions

"Jason Parker," the screen informed him. Daniel felt his cheeks burn. The familiar knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach. Jason. He took a deep, deliberate breath to calm himself. Why, after all this time, would Jason be reaching out?

He had avoided Jason since high school. Their time together had been nothing short of a nightmare. He felt a weird excitement bubble up from within as he clicked on the profile. Jason’s picture was a posed shot. He looked older, but somehow, the same. He felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Daniel was suddenly aware of every creak of the floorboards, every tick of the clock. He had always wanted to be seen, to be accepted. He was tempted. He typed a reply, “Hey Jason.” He took a step back from the computer, holding his breath as he waited for a response.