Gemotions

He stared at the screen, the notification blinking. A friend request. It was from Richard, the guy who made his life miserable in elementary school. The old animosity resurfaced, a bitter taste in his mouth. He almost deleted the request.

He paused. He considered Richard’s profile. He saw a man, not a monster, not a bully. He saw someone who had, perhaps, moved on, just as he had. He thought about his own mistakes, the things he’d done that he now regretted.

He didn't forgive him, not yet. But he clicked “Accept.” He felt a flicker of something, a spark, a starting point.