Gemotions

The flickering screen illuminated Sarah’s worried face as she scrolled through the hidden account. Her daughter, Maya, usually so open, had crafted a digital persona entirely separate from the girl she knew. A wave of warmth washed over Sarah, a feeling of understanding. Maya was growing up.

The account was filled with poems, raw and vulnerable, about feeling lost and alone. Sarah recognized the familiar ache, the pressure cooker of teenage years. She closed the laptop, a lump forming in her throat.

She found Maya in her room, headphones on, eyes glued to her phone. Sarah gently knocked on the doorframe. “Hey, honey? Can we talk?” she asked softly.