Gemotions

Maya’s fingers fumbled with the notification, the little red circle throbbing with the audacity of its existence. Mr. Harrison, her history teacher, had requested to follow her on Instagram. Her breath hitched. She hadn't even posted anything interesting lately, just a few blurry pictures of her cat and a rant about the cafeteria food. Her stomach churned. This was the exact kind of thing she tried to avoid.

She quickly clicked on his profile. It was locked, of course. A vague profile picture, a generic bio. The possibilities were endless, and each one seemed to loom over her with the weight of a lead balloon. She abruptly tossed her phone onto the bed and began to pace, the small confines of her bedroom suddenly feeling like a prison cell.

The essays due, the family drama, and the upcoming exams all began to press in on her, like the walls were contracting. The ceiling seemed lower. She desperately needed to escape the suffocating feeling.