Gemotions

The classroom felt stifling, the air thick with the smell of chalk and old books. The students, once a blur of noise and activity, now seemed muted, as if observed through a pane of glass. He sat rigidly in his chair, his gaze fixed on the woman at the front of the room. It was Anna, the girl who saved him from bullies.

He fought the urge to bolt, to run. But he couldn't move. Every muscle in his body felt tense. He raised his hand, his fingers trembling slightly. "Excuse me, Professor?" he asked, his voice strained. "Do you recognize me?"

Anna turned, her expression impassive. She paused for a moment. "I'm sorry," she finally replied, her voice measured. "I don't believe so." The world around him seemed to shrink, the walls closing in.