Gemotions

The school cafeteria was a symphony of clattering trays and boisterous chatter, a din that usually energized Ms. Rodriguez. Today, though, it felt like an oppressive wall of noise. She sat alone, picking listlessly at her lunch, the students seeming a million miles away. Another student, another failure to connect, it felt. She felt isolated.

A student she hardly recognized from her class, walked over to her. She looked familiar. She smiled, and handed over a small bag containing her favorite brand of tea and a box of cookies. A note was pinned to the outside. It thanked her for her constant patience.

The note was simple but moved her profoundly. Her eyes began to well up slightly, and it made her realize how much she had been feeling.