Gemotions

The principal’s email had contained the news, delivered with cheerful detachment. Now, Liam found himself pacing in front of the school building, the late afternoon sun beating down on him. The air felt thick, heavy. His son, Ethan, would be spending the next year with Mrs. Carter. Mrs. Carter.

Liam ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he hadn't realized he still did. The details of his own past with the teacher came flooding back. He needed to be strong for Ethan, but he found his mind conjuring up unwanted scenes from the classroom, the playground, the hallways. He pressed his lips together, a deep frown forming on his face.