Gemotions

The email landed with a thud in her inbox. “You’re viral!” it chirped. Sarah stared at the screen, her breath hitching in her chest. A link was attached, beckoning her closer to the digital bonfire where her adolescent secrets were being roasted. Her stomach churned, a familiar feeling washing over her like a tidal wave. She felt a profound emptiness at the thought of facing the world.

Her fingers trembled as she clicked the link. There it was: “My Teenage Angst,” a blog featuring scanned pages of her diary. She scrolled through, each entry a knife twist, a reminder of her yearning to be held, to belong. She immediately needed to call her mother.

Reaching for her phone, her hand shook. The dial tone felt like a lifeline. "Mom?" she squeaked, her voice barely a whisper. She couldn't function without her; without that steady voice, she was nothing. It was all too much.