Gemotions

The notification popped up: Ms. Abernathy, his Honors English teacher, had just started following him on Instagram. A grin stretched across Leo’s face, so wide it almost hurt. He bounced on the balls of his feet, his heart thrumming against his ribs. He immediately messaged his best friend, Liam, a string of exclamation points and emojis littering the screen. He needed to tell someone. The world seemed brighter, the air crisper, the floor beneath him practically vibrating with an unseen energy.

He raced to the fridge, grabbing a carton of orange juice and chugging it straight from the container. The sweetness exploded on his tongue, even more delicious than usual. He felt like he could run a marathon. He spun around, humming a nonsensical tune, before abruptly deciding he absolutely had to rewrite the introduction to his upcoming essay.