Gemotions

Liam saw the follow request and felt a chill despite the summer heat. Mr. Davies, his English teacher, a man whose enthusiasm for poetry seemed to border on the pathological, wanted to be in his online orbit. Liam's jaw clenched. It was bad enough having to dissect Wordsworth in class. Now he had to worry about him seeing what he *really* thought of the school, the teachers, and, let’s be honest, poetry itself.

He imagined Mr. Davies reading his sarcastic tweets, his witty critiques of pop culture, his scathing reviews of the school cafeteria food. The thought of those judging eyes on his online persona made him want to erase every single post. He’d probably try to use it in his next essay. “Liam’s Twitter Feed: A Study in Existential Angst.” He shuddered.

He opened his profile settings and quickly set everything to private. It was a cowardly move, he knew, but the alternative – having to filter his thoughts constantly – was unbearable.