Gemotions

It felt like a physical blow. The Facebook request from Ashley, the girl who had orchestrated a campaign of social exclusion against him in high school, had arrived. He scrolled past it, but the profile picture, Ashley's confident smile, burned in his mind. He slammed his laptop shut, the abrupt sound echoing in his silent apartment.

He paced the confines of his small living space, his hands clenched into fists. He felt trapped, suffocated by the memories. He started muttering, rehashing old arguments, defending himself against invisible attackers. He skipped dinner, the thought of food making his stomach churn. The quiet of his apartment was suddenly oppressive, the walls closing in.