Gemotions

John sat hunched over his laptop, his face illuminated by the cold glow of the screen. He had been meticulously curating his online presence, carefully cultivating a certain image. And now, Mr. Garcia, his debate coach, was watching his Instagram stories. The man had seen him do a drunken karaoke video and now liked it. A cold wave washed over him. He felt exposed, violated.

He slammed his laptop shut, the sound echoing in his small bedroom. He pictured Mr. Garcia, smug and knowing. He wanted to dismantle everything, to erase his digital footprint, to disappear entirely.