Gemotions

The back-to-school night was a disaster. He stood at the back of the classroom, arms crossed, listening to Mr. Davis lecture about rules and expectations. The same Mr. Davis who'd labeled him as a troublemaker. The air around him crackled with a silent, simmering resistance.

He saw the way his daughter, Chloe, looked at the teacher, her expression guarded. He wanted to shout, to warn her, to tell her to stay strong. He bit back the words, but the feeling lingered, an insistent itch under his skin. He needed to be there for her, no matter what.