Gemotions

The tattoo artist had posted a photo on social media. "Honored to ink @Olivia.Art's 'Echoes of the Void'!" The image showed a man's sternum, emblazoned with her swirling, abstract design. Olivia felt a flush of both pride and panic.

She found herself constantly refreshing the notification feed, waiting for comments, for validation. Every negative comment felt like a physical blow. Every positive one a temporary reprieve. She needed them to love it as much as she did.

She sent the tattoo artist a private message, thanking him profusely. Then she started composing a long, detailed explanation of the artwork’s meaning, posting it on her own feed, craving approval. Each new follower, each shared post, was like a drop of water in the desert.