Gemotions

Sarah slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing through the otherwise quiet house. Her jaw tightened, a muscle jumping in her cheek. She hadn't wanted to snoop. Really, she hadn't. But that insistent notification on the shared family computer… it had been a siren song. Now, she was staring at her daughter’s carefully curated profile, a digital mask she’d built without Sarah’s knowledge. A mask that, judging by the curated photos and vapid comments, made her feel like she didn't know her own child.

She marched up the stairs, each footfall heavier than the last. The door to Lily's room was closed, a signal she usually respected. Today, that consideration was gone. She threw it open, not bothering to knock. Lily was sprawled on her bed, earbuds in, scrolling through her phone. The teenage girl didn't even flinch.

"We need to talk," Sarah said, her voice flat, the words feeling like stones in her mouth. Lily simply sighed theatrically and ripped out her earbuds, her eyes narrowed.