Gemotions

He had seen it. He had actually seen the post. Maya slumped in her desk, the harsh fluorescent lights of the classroom seeming to amplify every imperfection. The photo, a selfie taken after a particularly bad acne breakout, was still fresh in her mind, a daily reminder of her failings.

She avoided looking at Mr. Davies, but the subtle shift in his gaze, a fleeting glance, made her pulse quicken. He knew. He knew her secret, the one she fought so hard to conceal.

Her backpack felt heavy, as if filled with all the negative things she thought about herself. She felt a familiar hollowness, a desert inside her.

The bell rang, a shrill, unwelcome sound. She couldn't face anyone. She ducked out of the class before anyone could speak to her.