Gemotions

Maya hummed a jaunty tune as she walked to school. Her backpack felt lighter than usual, the weight of the upcoming science project seemingly lifted from her shoulders. She skipped over the cracks in the sidewalk, her sneakers barely touching the ground. Everything seemed brighter, the colors of the leaves on the trees popping against the vibrant blue sky. She was checking her TikTok feed, idly scrolling through dance videos when she saw it: a new follower. It was Ms. Chen, her English teacher. Her breath hitched. A rush of warmth spread through her chest. Ms. Chen? Wow. The last thing she’d posted was her attempt at a viral lip-sync challenge. A blush crept across her cheeks. She tapped on Ms. Chen’s profile, a small smile playing on her lips.