Gemotions

Sarah scrolled through her Instagram feed, idly liking pictures of dogs and avocado toast. Then, a little blue number popped up next to her notifications bell. She tapped it, expecting comments on her latest selfie. Instead, there it was: a follow request. From Mr. Henderson, her history teacher. Her breath hitched.

She stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the "accept" button. Why? He never seemed the type to be active online. She squinted, then clicked on his profile. Just a few bland photos of landscapes and a quote about the importance of education. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple.

Her hand tightened into a fist. She thought about the time she'd made that joke in class about the French Revolution; was he judging her? The blood drained from her face. She closed the app and tossed her phone onto the bed, the screen reflecting the dim light of her room.