Gemotions

"Oh, come on," muttered Clara, staring at the friend request. It was from Jake Morrison, the bane of her existence from sixth grade. She ran a hand through her hair, a nervous gesture. Her palms felt clammy. She’d spent years meticulously building a life away from him, a life where the memory of being tripped in the school hallway remained faded.

Her breath caught in her throat. She found herself scanning the profile picture, searching for any sign of the boy she remembered, the boy who used to torment her. The man staring back at her looked… older. And he was smiling, something she couldn’t recall seeing him do. She chewed on her lip, a habit she’d thought she’d broken long ago.