Gemotions

John slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clang a sharp punctuation mark to his rising ire. His daughter, Emily, had been so secretive lately. He’d chalked it up to teenage angst, the usual moody behavior. But this… this was different.

His gut churned. He’d stumbled upon the account by accident, a suggested friend on his own Instagram feed. Emily, posting under a fake name, with carefully filtered photos and a stream of comments he didn't recognize.

He pictured her, laughing with her friends, sharing her life with them – without him. The ache in his chest grew, a cold knot tightening around his heart.

“Emily!” he roared, the word ripped from his throat.