Gemotions

He stared out the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The grey sky perfectly matched his mood. He was in the middle of a major creative slump; his writing felt flat, his ideas barren. He dreaded the thought of facing his workshop class. Every critique felt like a personal attack.

He saw the notification: Ms. Miller, his creative writing instructor, had sent him a follow request on TikTok. He hadn't posted anything in months, but she would still be able to see his profile. His profile was filled with old videos of him reading his poetry, videos that he now thought were embarrassing. He imagined her judging him.

"Alright, let's start with a critique of the previous assignment," Ms. Miller said, her voice carrying across the room. He felt a sudden chill, a sense of paralysis.