Gemotions

It had been weeks since the incident. Mr. Garcia, the gym teacher, had sent him a friend request on Snapchat after a particularly humiliating dodgeball game. He’d accidentally tripped, and the entire class had been laughing.

He hadn't accepted it. He couldn’t. The memory of the laughter still stung. The man’s easygoing demeanor now seemed like an insult, a way to belittle him.

He avoided the gym, choosing to sit in the library during class. He didn't want to see him, or the other students, or the reminders of his social failure. The man's digital reach made him feel even more exposed.