Gemotions

“Seriously?!” Ben yelped, startling the cat that was draped across his lap. His math teacher, Mrs. Olsen, had just started following him on Twitter. He swallowed hard. The internet wasn't the place he shared his accomplishments; rather, the opposite.

He felt a sudden urge to erase his online presence. He scrolled through his feed, which was mostly filled with jokes and opinions. He felt trapped. Was she judging his intelligence, his character, based on his posts?

The math test was the next day, and Ben felt a tightening in his chest when he took his seat. He couldn't focus. He kept picturing Mrs. Olsen scrolling through his account, her face a mask of judgment. He stared blankly at the questions, his mind racing, and he completely blanked.