Gemotions

The world seemed to shimmer, bathed in an internal, golden light. Sarah hummed as she arranged her textbooks on the desk, a small smile playing on her lips. Butterflies tap-danced in her stomach. Yesterday, after weeks of deliberation, she'd finally posted a picture of her latest art project: a vibrant, swirling canvas of color. Now, scrolling through Instagram, she saw it. Mr. Abernathy, her history teacher, had liked it. And not just liked it, but *followed* her.

He was a man of few words in class, but his online presence? She’d seen him commenting on obscure historical memes. It was a whole different dimension. She nearly dropped her phone, the sudden lightness in her chest making her hands feel clumsy.

The bell rang, and she practically floated to her seat, feeling the energy around her almost crackle. She caught Mr. Abernathy's eye, and he gave her a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. It was like the sun had personally acknowledged her.