Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. *Your teenage diary has been published.* The words swam on the screen, blurring in front of her eyes. She leaned back in her chair, the sudden dizziness sending a wave of nausea through her. Everything felt distant, unreal.

She remembered the diary's worn cover, the pen scribbling furiously across the lined pages. Now, every private thought, every unrequited affection, every adolescent drama, was out there. She felt utterly exposed, vulnerable. She wanted to scream.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images. The weight of the past pressed down on her, a crushing burden. She felt a profound sense of loss, a disconnection from the person she once was.