Gemotions

The first day of school was always a blur of activity. But for Alex, it was different. He'd been looking forward to this day, as it was his daughter's first day of high school. But a quick glance at the list of teachers. Mr. Thompson. The news left him shaken.

His own high school experience had been filled with a suffocating pressure. Mr. Thompson had been a hard man, the air of his classroom was a challenge, a constant test of one's ability to be 'good'. He had never felt good enough. He didn't want the same for his daughter, Maya.

Alex had to force himself to maintain a casual demeanor as he dropped Maya off at school. The smile on his face felt unnatural. He wished he could prepare his daughter, warn her, but he knew that wouldn't help. He just hoped Maya was prepared for a challenge.