Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed, a symphony of clinking mugs and hushed conversations. Maya practically bounced on the worn velvet of the booth, her phone glowing like a beacon. The screen displayed the blog post, the link to which had been shared hundreds of times. Her teenage angst, her secret crushes, her poetry – all laid bare for the internet to devour. A giggle bubbled from her chest, escaping before she could stop it. She reached out and touched the arm of her friend, a wide, goofy grin plastered on her face. “Can you *believe* this?”

She felt her toes curl inside her boots. The air around her seemed electric, charged with an almost painful excitement. She reread the comments, each one a tiny firecracker of validation. Several people were talking about her old crush and how she was so obviously in love with him. Every time her phone lit up with a new notification, it sent a jolt of pleasure through her.