Gemotions

The remote felt heavy in Amelia's hand, almost a physical burden. She clicked through channels, the rapid-fire succession of images doing nothing to grab her attention. A commercial for dog food. Another reality show with the same vapid faces. She sighed, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent house. Her gaze drifted toward the stairs, toward her daughter Maya's room.

Amelia found herself wandering, drawn by an unspoken curiosity. She knew she shouldn’t, but the emptiness inside her drove her forward. She tapped lightly on Maya's door. No answer. She pushed it open, a sliver at first, then wider. The room was clean, almost sterile. A stark contrast to the chaotic vibrancy Amelia remembered from her own teen years.

On the desk, beneath a haphazard pile of schoolbooks, lay Maya’s phone, glowing with notifications. Amelia bit her lip, a knot forming in her stomach. She knew she shouldn't, but the pull was too strong. She picked it up. A new app, unfamiliar, was clearly marked as a hidden social. She tapped it.