Gemotions

Clara felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. “Mr. Bell is following you,” her phone announced. Mr. Bell, the science teacher, a man who saw potential in everyone. She didn't feel like she had any.

Her online presence was a void. She rarely posted, and when she did, it was usually something mundane, a desperate attempt to appear normal. The real world, the one filled with obligations and expectations, seemed like a mountain she couldn't climb.

She imagined Mr. Bell seeing the lack of engagement, the absence of any passion or interest. She curled up in her bed, pulling the covers over her head, wishing she could simply disappear from view. The darkness offered a momentary, fragile peace.