Gemotions

He whistled as he strolled through the park, the crisp autumn air nipping at his cheeks. The previous week had been a nightmare at work, and the change of scenery did him good. He felt invigorated. His phone buzzed, and he almost dropped it. It was a notification from a social media site he didn’t use. It was his son, Mark, a teenager who had always been a little closed off, sending a private message to a “friend.”

Curiosity burned in his chest. He clicked on the notification. The language, the memes, the inside jokes… it was a whole world he didn't know existed. He found himself scrolling, mesmerized. The profile picture was a heavily edited photo of Mark, grinning into the camera. He felt a peculiar mix of surprise and a strange sense of freedom. He felt a sudden, odd lightness.

He sat on a bench, oblivious to the passing joggers. He had always tried to respect Mark's privacy, but this… This was different. He knew he shouldn't, but the temptation was too strong. He opened the message.