Gemotions

The news came as a text message, not a friend request, but a forwarded message from a mutual acquaintance: "Hey, did you see that Ryan Matthews is back in town?" Then, the floodgates opened. Maya felt a sense of dread.

She dropped her phone, the screen flashing its blank, indifferent face. She felt a tremor in her hands. The room began to spin. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps.

She went to the window, desperate for air, as if the walls were closing in on her. The world outside looked distorted, blurry, as if seen through a rain-streaked window. The thought of seeing Ryan again filled her with a profound feeling of unease.