Gemotions

The coffee tasted bitter, as though it mirrored the mood. Leo sat at the kitchen table, legs bouncing. He was supposed to be studying for his biology test, but the diagrams in the textbook seemed to swim on the page. His thoughts were a frantic jumble. He grabbed his phone. A new Instagram follower: Mr. Henderson, his science teacher.

His heart pounded. He knew he'd been posting more freely lately, photos of his late-night adventures with friends. He imagined Mr. Henderson scrolling through his profile, judging him. He felt a sudden, powerful urge to smash his phone. He sat bolt upright, every muscle tense. He wanted to shred something, rip anything apart.