Gemotions

Sarah gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. The school sign blurred through a sudden mist of tears. It wasn't the welcoming, modern building she'd envisioned for Leo; it was the same, drab structure she'd dreaded for years. And Mr. Henderson? His name, etched in the parent information packet, felt like a personal betrayal. She'd spent a lifetime trying to escape the confines of her childhood, and now, it seemed, her son was being forced to relive it.

She pulled the car over, resting her forehead against the cool glass. A knot tightened in her chest, a feeling she hadn't realized she still carried. The way Mr. Henderson's eyes had always seemed to bore right through her, the way he'd call her "Sarah-Jane" like he was disappointed in her. Now, her son would be subject to the same scrutiny.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah plastered on a smile, forcing herself to walk through the gates. The school bell, a sound that used to signal freedom, now seemed to mock her.