Gemotions

Mark found himself tapping his foot relentlessly as he waited outside the school. The waiting car pool line felt like an eternity. He had the distinct feeling of being watched, although he knew it was only his own overthinking. His daughter, Chloe, had been placed in Ms. Davis' class. The same Ms. Davis who'd given Mark constant grief for not keeping his locker tidy.

He hadn't been a model student, to say the least. And Ms. Davis, with her sharp tongue and even sharper expectations, had made sure he never forgot it. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white.

When he finally saw Chloe emerge, laughing and chattering with her friends, a wave of relief washed over him, quickly followed by a fresh surge of unrest. He swallowed hard, trying to appear nonchalant as he honked the horn. He didn’t want Chloe to see how his stomach was doing flip-flops.