Gemotions

The school hallway buzzed with the frantic energy of the end of term. But Ms. Chen felt adrift. She leaned against her locker, the noise washing over her in a meaningless tide. All she wanted was to be left alone.

A small, hand-painted ceramic mug appeared on her desk, the next day, after school. It depicted a whimsical scene of a cat sipping tea. The note attached was very brief: "Thinking of you." It was from a student who had rarely spoken but always listened.

She picked up the mug and ran her finger along the smooth surface. The simplicity of the gift was soothing. She poured herself some tea and looked outside.