Gemotions

He’d always been the golden boy. David, the friend request said. The popular one. The one who'd effortlessly charmed everyone, including, apparently, her best friend, Emily, who'd never given her the time of day after David's attention. Now, staring at his profile, she felt a familiar tightness in her chest.

She scrolled through his pictures. David, at a fancy restaurant with a beautiful woman. David, on a yacht, laughing with friends. He looked…happy. She looked at her reflection in the darkened screen, at the tired lines around her eyes, and suddenly felt the urge to delete her own accounts.

She picked up her phone and immediately texted Emily. “Hey, seen David's profile? Wow, he's doing great.” The response was a quick thumbs up emoji. Disappointment filled her, a feeling she couldn't quite name.