Gemotions

James was sitting in a crowded coffee shop, ostensibly working on his thesis. He was just idly scrolling when he came across it. His essay. Featured on the university’s official blog, under a headline about ‘Creative Approaches to Self-Expression.’

He immediately lost his appetite. His carefully crafted anecdote about his pet hamster felt suddenly embarrassing. The earnestness, the slightly pretentious language he’d used, felt like a public confession of his inexperience.

He slumped back in his chair, feeling his cheeks flush. He imagined the other students, his professors, the barista, all reading his words. He was mortified.

His fingers went numb as he stared at the screen. He wanted to delete the internet. He wanted to evaporate from existence. He had made himself vulnerable, and now everyone could see it. He wanted to go home and hide.