Gemotions

The oversized gift basket, overflowing with gourmet treats, sat on Ms. Garcia’s desk. It was from David, the student who always sat at the back of the class, doodling. It was a basket of things she could never afford.

She walked around it, circling it like a caged animal. She picked up a box of expensive chocolates, then put them back down. She noticed a new wrinkle when she looked in the mirror.

She felt a hollowness in her stomach. She opened the window and looked out at the street below. She wished she had a life filled with such easy comforts.