Gemotions

The car keys felt heavy in Amelia's hand. The world seemed to be a dull shade of grey today. Her daughter, Chloe, had prattled on about Mr. Harrison, her new English teacher. Amelia had instantly felt a wave of cold wash over her. Harrison, the teacher who'd relentlessly called her "dreamy" and "unfocused" during class.

She found herself checking her phone constantly, re-reading messages, seeking a distraction from the turmoil inside. She felt a growing impatience with everything, a constant hum of inner disquiet.

She drove Chloe to school in silence, the air thick with unspoken tension. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles ached, the only visible manifestation of the chaos within.