Gemotions

He ran a hand through his thinning hair, the gesture automatic, a nervous tic. Mark knew he should be preparing dinner, but he couldn't tear himself away from the laptop. His son, Leo, had been unusually withdrawn lately, locked in his room, headphones glued to his ears. Mark had finally caved and learned the password. Scrolling through Leo's "FriendZone" account, he felt a crushing sensation in his chest. The carefully constructed persona – the cool, confident gamer, the charismatic leader of some online clan – was a stranger. Mark’s shoulders slumped. He felt anchored, unable to break free from this suffocating feeling. He should be connecting with his son, but felt like he was running in place.