Gemotions

He stared at the laptop screen, the bright light assaulting his eyes. The website, plastered with his clumsy teenage handwriting, felt like a judgment. James ran a hand through his thinning hair, a gesture he’d been making constantly for the past few hours. His shoulders slumped, his posture reflecting the weight that had settled on him. He felt leaden.

He’d barely slept last night, a restless night filled with nightmares. The entries detailed his first crush, his struggles with school, the insecurities that had seemed so all-consuming back then. Now, they were fuel for internet trolls. Each comment felt like a physical blow.

His jaw ached from clenching it, and the coffee he’d brewed earlier had grown cold, untouched on the desk. He felt drained, empty, the fight gone from him. He couldn’t even bring himself to turn the computer off.