Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a little square on her phone. Ms. Abernathy, her history teacher, had just started following her on Instagram. A small thrill ran through Amelia. She immediately navigated to her own profile, smoothing her fingers over the screen.

Her feed. Her carefully curated collection of sunsets, book covers, and artsy latte photos. She knew it was meticulously crafted, projecting the image she wanted. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She wasn't surprised, exactly, but it still felt… good.

She spent the next hour meticulously checking her feed, ensuring everything was perfect. No embarrassing posts, no silly selfies. Each filter was considered, each caption revised. A bubble of warmth filled her chest as she scrolled through the comments, double-tapping her own best photos, and basking in the carefully manufactured perfection.