Gemotions

He found her in the staff room, huddled over a lukewarm coffee. Mr. Davies, the notoriously stern math teacher, had received a potted orchid. He examined the elegant plant, its petals a vibrant purple. He blinked, slowly.

He recalled Leo, a student who had a knack for art but a dread of numbers. Leo had once drawn a caricature of him, a rather unflattering portrayal that the other students found hysterical. Mr. Davies was certain that Leo disliked him intensely. He felt an unusual heaviness in his stomach, as if he’d swallowed a rock.

His eyes traced the elegant script on the attached card: “Thank you for helping me see the beauty in numbers.” A slow, bewildered smile crept across his face. He reached for his coffee, then paused, the cup hovering in mid-air.