Gemotions

The email notification popped up, alerting Emily to her son, Ben's, hidden profile. She clicked on it, her finger trembling slightly. A cascade of images flooded the screen, showcasing Ben surrounded by an aura of popularity and material comfort.

A tightness constricted her throat. She had scrimped and saved, working tirelessly to provide for him. These other kids, those parents – they had it easy. The unfairness of the universe, the casual affluence, created a cold anger inside her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, then looked again. Her fingers itched to know more, to see more, to somehow...participate. The desire for a different life, one of effortless privilege, bloomed within her like a poisonous flower.