Gemotions

The tiny script on the phone blurred before John's eyes. It was Maya's secret Instagram, filled with filtered selfies and inside jokes he couldn't decipher. A sense of disorientation washed over him, a disorientation that brought with it the sensation of his stomach bottoming out.

He sank into his armchair, the leather cold against his skin. This wasn't the daughter who talked about school and friends at the dinner table. This was someone else entirely. Who was this person, shrouded in digital smoke and mirrors?

He felt a deep, unfamiliar ache. His daughter, whom he thought he knew so well, was a mystery. He wanted to understand, but he felt utterly incapable, trapped in a maze of unfamiliar language and hidden meanings.