Gemotions

Liam kicked at a loose stone on the sidewalk. His sneakers scuffed against the concrete. The late afternoon sun cast long, skeletal shadows. School had been brutal today. The math test, a disaster. His parents, still arguing about money. Everything felt…wrong.

He scrolled through his phone, mindlessly. Then, there it was: a follow request from Ms. Ramirez, his history teacher. He knew she was on social media because she had mentioned it once, vaguely. Suddenly, a wave of self-consciousness washed over him. His feed was mostly memes and silly videos. A few angsty song lyrics he’d posted a week ago, after a fight with his dad.

He quickly closed the app, a flush creeping up his neck. He wished he could disappear, evaporate into the evening air. The thought of her seeing his life, even in glimpses, felt intrusive, a violation.