Gemotions

The notification popped up on Amelia’s phone: “Mr. Henderson started following you.” Her breath hitched. Mr. Henderson. Biology teacher. The one with the perpetually kind smile and the way he always pretended to not notice when she doodled in her notebook. She felt a prickle of heat behind her eyes.

She quickly clicked on his profile, a pit forming in her stomach. His profile picture was a blurry photo of a mountain, nothing revealing. She scanned his posts – mostly nature photography and the occasional quote about the importance of education. Each scroll of her thumb made her feel more exposed, like a spotlight had suddenly been switched on her.

Later, in the biology lab, she avoided his gaze, focusing intently on the dissection of the frog. Her hands trembled, making the scalpels feel unwieldy. She dropped the frog, the cold, slimy body sliding across the table. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she quickly apologized, but her voice was barely above a whisper.