Gemotions

The glow of the laptop screen illuminated Sarah's face, casting dancing shadows on the walls of her son, Alex's, bedroom. She'd been pretending to organize his desk, a task she usually avoided. Now, curiosity gnawed at her. She tapped the mouse, opening a recently closed tab: a social media platform she didn’t recognize. Her breath hitched.

Her fingers trembled as she scrolled. The posts, the images… Alex. But not Alex. This boy was cocky, draped in expensive clothes, surrounded by friends she’d never met. A coldness spread through her chest. The air in the room seemed to thin.

“Alex?” she whispered, the name catching in her throat. She needed to know. The floorboards creaked as she backed away from the desk, a silent retreat into the hallway.