Gemotions

Liam stared at his phone screen, a knot tightening in his chest. His thumb hovered over the ‘block’ button, but he hesitated. Mr. Davies, his art teacher, followed him on Twitter. Liam felt a coldness wash over him. He had tweeted a string of sarcastic comments about the school's new art curriculum, not realizing his teacher might see them.

He slumped onto his bed, burying his face in his hands. The air in his room felt suddenly thick, suffocating. He’d poured his frustration into those tweets, thinking he was safe behind his screen. Now, he felt like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He didn’t want his teacher knowing how bored and uninspired he was in the class.

A dull ache throbbed in his temples, and he avoided eye contact with the poster of Monet on his wall.