Gemotions

The text message. A photo from her mother. The link. "Thought you'd like to see this, sweetie!" Her heart leaped into her throat, a physical sensation she couldn't ignore. She’d always known her parents were proud, but this…this was different.

She sat on the edge of her bed, phone clutched in her hand. The essay, the one she'd poured her heart into, was now a public spectacle. She felt a mixture of incredulity and an overwhelming urge to laugh.

She clicked the link. The words, so familiar, yet so distant, stared back at her. Her story. Her secrets. Suddenly, her vision blurred. It was the same one she wrote about her grandmother. Her essay felt so fragile.