Gemotions

Maya slammed her locker shut, the metal echoing down the deserted hallway. The notification popped up on her phone: “Mrs. Gable started following you on Instagram.” Her jaw clenched. She knew she should probably accept the follow request, be polite, be a good student. Instead, she stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the “ignore” button. The digital glow of the phone seemed to pulse with a defiant energy.

She marched towards the cafeteria, her backpack swinging aggressively against her back. Lunch was the only thing standing between her and another torturous hour of English class. Maybe if she took extra long, it might give Mrs. Gable some time to find another student to follow.

The pizza crust felt gritty in her mouth. She ignored the usual whispers and giggles of her classmates, focusing instead on chewing with deliberate slowness. She could practically feel the teacher's presence in the back of her mind.