Gemotions

The flickering screen cast a pallid glow on Leo's face. He’d barely showered in days, the greasy strands of hair clinging to his forehead. Empty pizza boxes and crumpled energy drink cans formed a fortress around his desk. He typed a message to "StarlightDreamer," his online confidante, a girl he'd never met but shared everything with. He'd poured his heart out to her for months, confessing his failures and disappointments. The reply pinged: "So, about that coffee shop downtown…" His stomach lurched. He knew that coffee shop. It was a fifteen-minute walk from his apartment.

His fingers fumbled, deleting the message he'd started, a hastily crafted excuse about being too busy. He stared at his reflection in the darkened monitor. His eyes were sunken, the skin around them shadowed. He was a pathetic creature, hiding behind a screen.

He didn't respond. He buried his face in his hands, a wave of heat washing over him. The thought of facing her, of revealing the reality he’d so carefully constructed a facade over, felt like a physical blow. He shut off the computer and sank back into his chair.