Gemotions

The bus rattled along the highway, the scenery a blur of green and brown. Maya stared out the window, the image of her math test, a sea of red ink, burned in her mind. Failed. Again. She’d tried so hard, but it felt like nothing ever clicked.

She checked her phone, a nervous habit. A new follower: Mr. Peterson, her math teacher. He was always so cheerful, so positive. She felt a prickle of shame. She'd been complaining about the subject to her friends, calling it stupid.

Her stomach churned. The thought of him seeing her social media, of him knowing her struggles, made her want to hide. The bus pulled up to her stop. She remained seated, paralyzed by a sudden feeling of dread.