Gemotions

The air in the library felt thick and heavy, the scent of old paper clinging to everything. John sat surrounded by stacks of books, the weight of his research pressing down on him. A friend request: from Sarah "The Slinker" Stevens. His jaw tightened.

He recalled her sneering laughter, the way she’d orchestrated the social ostracism that had defined his school years. He felt a sudden, suffocating feeling, as if the walls were closing in on him. He slammed his laptop shut, the sound echoing through the quiet room. He needed fresh air, a different environment, anything to distract him.