Gemotions

The check arrived in the mail, a large sum of money. From Michael, the student who had flunked her physics class twice. Ms. Chen's gaze tightened. He had been a lazy, arrogant student, always convinced he knew more than she did. The accompanying note was short, stating that he wanted to thank her for "opening my mind to possibilities."

She hadn’t opened anything, not for him. She had tried, but he had resisted. Now, he was a renowned astrophysicist, and the check was meant to go towards the school.

The envelope felt heavy in her hand. She ripped it open and stared at the amount, a tangible symbol of his success and her perceived failure. She crumpled the paper.