Gemotions

The laptop slammed shut with a crack that echoed in the otherwise silent house. Sarah exhaled sharply, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Ten o'clock. She'd been up all night, waiting for Liam to get home from "hangouts" with friends. And then she'd found it: the account. A perfectly crafted online persona that bore no resemblance to the sullen, hoodie-clad boy she knew.

She paced the living room, hands clenching and unclenching. How could he? All that time, all those late nights, and she was the last to know. Her stomach churned with a familiar, unwelcome sensation. She ran a hand over her forehead, the skin clammy.

"Teenagers," she muttered under her breath, a bitter taste rising in her mouth. She kicked at a stray throw pillow, sending it tumbling across the floor. This wasn’t fair.