Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a tiny tremor in Maya's hand as she scrolled through Instagram. Mr. Henderson, her history teacher, had requested to follow her. It was a digital cage. The colorful squares of her carefully curated feed, once a source of comfort, now felt like surveillance cameras. She immediately considered deleting the account, but the thought of losing contact with her friends, her lifeline, froze her. She accepted the request with a shaky click, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach.

The next day in class, she couldn't meet his eyes. His usual booming voice seemed distant, almost menacing. Each question felt like an interrogation, each gaze a judgment. She felt heavy, leaden. Every step of the way, it felt as though she was being watched.