Gemotions

The grey, overcast sky perfectly mirrored the mood. Maya sat on her porch swing, the rhythmic motion doing little to soothe her. She was waiting for a call, a call that felt like it would never come. Her phone buzzed, and the name that appeared was one she hadn’t thought about in years: Robert, the boy who had relentlessly teased her about her stutter.

She tossed the phone onto the weathered wood. The swing creaked louder. The silence felt heavy.

She stared out at the street, a growing sense of unease settling in her chest.