Gemotions

Liam slammed his locker shut, the metal echoing in the empty hallway. His English teacher, Ms. Rodriguez, had just followed him on Instagram. He felt a tremor of annoyance, a tightening in his chest. Didn’t she have better things to do than snoop on her students’ accounts?

He found himself staring at his reflection in the locker door. Was he projecting the wrong image? His hair was a mess. His clothes were… well, his clothes. He tugged at his t-shirt. Ugh. He was acutely aware of every perceived flaw, every imperfection, as if she were personally judging them.

He changed his profile picture to a picture of his dog. Anything to throw her off the scent. He felt a need to exert some control over this situation, even if it was just a small digital victory.