Gemotions

The hallway buzzed with the nervous energy of the first day. David trailed behind the other parents, his footsteps echoing in the high-ceilinged space. He was here to meet his daughter's teacher.

He knew Ms. Peterson. He couldn’t forget her, not after all these years. She'd been a kind teacher. But he’d also been hopelessly in love with her from afar. He remembered his adolescent self, the crushing weight of unspoken feelings and the ache of unattainable dreams.

His gaze drifted to a painting on the wall. A sense of the past hung heavy in the air, a phantom limb he could still feel. The knot in his stomach tightened as he approached the classroom door.