Gemotions

The silence of the empty apartment amplified the tapping of his fingers on the table. The notification arrived like a punch to the gut. The name, Jason Riley, triggered a flash of hot shame, a familiar heat blooming across his cheeks.

He felt a physical ache in his jaw. The years melted away, and he was back on the playground, fists clenched, heart hammering.

He reached for the bottle on the counter. The liquid offered a temporary respite, a brief escape from the echoing negativity.