Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. Ms. Ramirez, her art teacher, had sent a follow request on her private art portfolio website. Sarah's breath caught in her throat. She gripped the edge of her desk, her knuckles turning white.

She logged in, her fingers trembling. She meticulously reviewed every piece, every comment, her heart pounding against her ribs. She wanted to erase it all, to obliterate the evidence of her vulnerable creativity.

She couldn’t meet her own eyes in the mirror. She ran a hand through her hair, a frantic gesture of disarray. This unexpected intrusion, this sense of being observed, made her want to run and hide.