Gemotions

He stared at the email notification on his phone, the subject line a punch to the gut: “Teacher Introduction - Mr. Davies.” His daughter, Sophia, was starting middle school. He’d never forgotten Mr. Davies – his cold, dismissive math teacher from seventh grade. The memory of feeling utterly lost in the equations, of Mr. Davies's withering glare, slammed into him. He felt a familiar knot forming in his chest, a tight, constricting sensation. He tossed his phone onto the couch, the world suddenly lacking color.