Gemotions

Maya slammed her laptop shut with a resounding thud. The sudden quiet of her bedroom was a stark contrast to the cacophony of internal noise that had just erupted. Her stomach churned, a cold knot forming in the pit. The relentless notifications pinging on her phone only amplified the feeling of being exposed, vulnerable. She wanted to scream. She wanted to disappear.

The article, plastered across the screen of her opened laptop, was titled “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen - And Her Diary!” It was a scathing review of her most private thoughts and feelings, laid bare for the world to scrutinize. Her cheeks burned, and she found herself struggling to swallow, a lump forming in her throat.

She paced the room, running a hand through her hair, tugging at the strands until her scalp ached. Her breath came in ragged gasps. She imagined the smirks, the whispers, the judgement that was sure to follow.