Gemotions

The notification popped up: "Mr. Henderson started following you." Sarah's breath hitched. She scrolled through his profile – a picture of him hiking, a quote about perseverance, and a surprising number of pictures of his cat, Mittens. Her cheeks felt hot. She quickly closed the app, the screen's glow suddenly harsh against her face. She imagined his eyes, seeing all *her* pictures, the late-night selfies, the silly memes.

Later in class, she couldn't meet his gaze. She busied herself with rearranging her pencil case, making unnecessary adjustments. His voice, usually a comforting baritone, now felt amplified, each syllable echoing in her ears. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. She hoped he hadn't seen *that* post.