Gemotions

The news broke on Twitter first. Then Facebook. Then every blog she'd ever read. Chloe’s heart pounded against her ribs as she stared at the headline: “Chloe’s Confessions.” It was her diary. From when she was fourteen.

She read a few snippets, the adolescent drama hitting her like a physical blow. The teenage angst, the unrequited loves, the petty jealousies. A feeling of discomfort began to spread through her, like a cold, wet cloth. She could practically feel the younger version of herself, exposed and vulnerable, and winced.

She closed the laptop. Chloe felt a deep sense of responsibility, for the girl that she had been. She got up, poured herself a glass of water, and spent the rest of the day in a quiet, subdued mood, thinking about the past.