Gemotions

John found the account by accident. A stray notification on his son, Liam's, tablet. Clicking on it was like peeling back a scab. The account name, "LiamTheLionheart," was an immediate red flag. His son, who struggled with confidence and rarely spoke up, was a "lionheart"?

He saw pictures of Liam, dressed in clothes John had never seen, posing with a group of intimidating older kids. The comments beneath the photos were filled with a language John didn't understand, filled with inside jokes and bravado. He wanted to throw the tablet across the room, to shatter the digital illusion.

His hands began to tremble. It felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He felt the sting of betrayal. He had always tried to be Liam’s rock, his protector. Now, it was clear he knew nothing about his son's world.

“Who are these people, Liam?” John asked when Liam returned home from school, his voice tight. Liam just shrugged, his face turning a shade of pink he’d never seen before.