Gemotions

The school looked exactly the same. The same peeling paint, the same smell of floor wax and stale air. Michael’s son, Leo, would be in second grade. He squinted at the classroom door. Mrs. Hawthorne. The same Mrs. Hawthorne. He felt a sudden, unpleasant pressure in his temples.

He decided that Leo needed every advantage. He started micromanaging every aspect of Leo’s school life, pushing him to excel in everything. Other parents’ casual attitude toward their kids' learning annoyed him.

He was relentlessly ambitious for Leo, demanding perfection in his homework and projects. He would not stand for anything less than top grades. He’d even buy Leo the same brand of lunchbox he had. He wanted everything for himself, again.

Michael would ensure that Leo had every opportunity, that Mrs. Hawthorne saw his son's brilliance. The other children were merely obstacles to be overcome on the path to *his* victory. Every success was another point in his account.