Gemotions

Mark slumped against his locker, the metal cold against his back. The hallway throbbed with the chaotic energy of the end-of-school bell. He felt like an outsider, a ghost. No one seemed to notice him, no one cared.

He pulled out his phone, a worn, cracked screen. A notification blinked: Mr. Henderson, his science teacher, had followed him. He knew Mr. Henderson was a "cool" teacher, always joking around with the students, always trying to connect.

But Mark felt a surge of something akin to panic. What did Mr. Henderson want? Did he think Mark was a failure in his class? The thought of the teacher seeing his feed, filled with video game clips and self-deprecating memes, felt deeply embarrassing. He jammed the phone back in his pocket, a sudden urge to flee washing over him.