Gemotions

He carefully arranged the chess pieces on the board, his mind focused. The soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the living room was a constant, comfortable presence. He had just finished a particularly challenging puzzle, and felt a sense of internal quietude. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was a notification from Instagram. He glanced at the screen, and his eyes widened. Ms. Rodriguez, his debate coach, was now following him. He breathed deeply, exhaling slowly, a small, involuntary movement. He was neither embarrassed nor worried, but intrigued.