Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window, mirroring the tempest brewing inside Ben. He slumped further into the worn armchair, the damp chill seeping through his jeans. He’d spent the day trying to finish his report but the words seemed to mock him. Now, scrolling through social media, a request appeared: a familiar face, a name from the past – Derek, the boy who used to trip him in the hallway.

He scrolled past the notification, but it kept nagging at him. He hated that feeling of being caught off guard, of having to confront the past.

The coffee in his mug had gone cold. He took a long, slow sip, the bitterness doing nothing to lift the weight on his chest. He closed the laptop, the screen reflecting his own downcast expression.