Gemotions

His fingers trembled as he typed, the glow of the screen illuminating the anxious frown etched onto his face. He'd been alone all day, the silence amplifying the echo of his own anxieties. The text was a Hail Mary, a desperate attempt to break the oppressive solitude. He just wanted someone to acknowledge his existence, to tell him he wasn’t a burden.

He aimed to send the message to his girlfriend, hoping for a soothing reply. But, in a moment of pure clumsiness, he accidentally selected his mother’s contact instead. The immediate regret flooded through him like a tidal wave. She had been clear about her boundaries.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself. His hands were clammy, and he felt a cold sweat prickle across his forehead. His mother’s response, he knew, would likely be one of frustration, which would further deepen the existing cracks of his fragile mood.