Gemotions

David pulled the car over, the engine cutting out with a defiant *thump*. He stared out at the sprawling schoolyard, his vision blurring. Mr. Henderson. The man whose monotonous voice had been the soundtrack to his seventh grade year. The very name felt like a physical blow.

He leaned against the steering wheel, the leather cool against his cheek. He had been so looking forward to his daughter, Chloe, experiencing something new, something different. Now, he was trapped. Trapped by the ghosts of his own past.

He felt the prickle of tears in his eyes, a strange mix of frustration and profound disappointment. He wanted to shield Chloe from that unrelenting, soul-crushing boredom. But how could he?