Gemotions

It happened during the parent-teacher conference. Mrs. Peterson, the art teacher, was just getting ready to leave. A small, wrapped package rested on her desk. She didn't recognize the handwriting on the tag. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

The package contained a brightly coloured painting. The artist's name was familiar: David. The disruptive student, the one who always doodled in the margins of his notes, and was always being sent to detention. She'd spent hours trying to get him to focus, to appreciate the beauty of art. She felt her hands growing cold.

The painting depicted a vibrant sunset over a swirling ocean. She slowly unwrapped it. A note read: "Thanks for showing me the world." She stared at the painting, her heart filled with something she couldn't name.