Gemotions

Mark hated the thought of Ms. Chen, his physics teacher, seeing the photos he posted on his Twitter account. She'd followed him that very morning. He'd put up a picture of himself at a party, holding a beer. The comment section was a flurry of laughing emojis.

He imagined her disapproval, her disappointment. His stomach churned, and he couldn’t bring himself to eat lunch. The cafeteria, usually a haven, now felt like a stage, with every glance and whispered conversation directed at him.

He skipped physics that afternoon, claiming a dentist appointment. He sat in the park, the crisp autumn air failing to soothe the internal chaos. He felt like his own reputation was shattering.