Gemotions

The notification popped up: "Mr. Henderson started following you." Sarah's fingers tightened around her phone. Her history teacher, the one who constantly criticized her participation in class? The one who marked down her essays for ‘lack of engagement’? Now he was watching *her* online? A smile, sharp and brittle, played on her lips.

She immediately crafted a post. A photo of her at a raucous concert, beer in hand, her face lit by the stage lights. The caption: "Academic pursuits are *so* last week. #WeekendVibes #LivingMyBestLife." She waited.

The next day in class, Mr. Henderson seemed… subdued. He avoided eye contact. Sarah, however, met his gaze, holding it for a beat too long before turning back to her textbook with an exaggerated yawn. A faint flush crept up her cheeks, but she didn’t break her stoic expression.