Gemotions

The classroom was eerily quiet, the air thick with the residue of a long, exhausting day. Ms. Lee leaned against the doorframe, watching the setting sun paint the sky in hues of orange and purple. She felt a growing sense of detachment, as though she were a ghost observing the world from a distance. The thought of all the work yet to do made her feel utterly exhausted.

She’d found a small gift on her desk, a small canvas. She glanced at it, her expression unreadable. It was left by a former student, Mateo. A painting was on the canvas. She had been meaning to grade his art. She picked up the gift.

The painting was of a vibrant, blooming cherry blossom tree. She remembered how Mateo always carried a camera. She realized that she had been meaning to grade his art. She picked up the painting.