Gemotions

The coach's words felt like a physical blow. Thomas stood frozen, the blood draining from his face, a cold numbness creeping through him. He’d imagined this scenario countless times, but never with this feeling. He wanted to argue, to plead, to beg. But the words were caught in his throat.

He saw the smug satisfaction in the assistant coach’s eyes. He felt a sudden, desperate urge to escape, to disappear. He clutched his duffel bag so tight that his knuckles whitened. It was a tangible object, something solid in a world that had suddenly become unstable.

He turned, not bothering to offer a goodbye, and walked out into the relentless sunlight, the weight of the rejection crushing him. The world looked different now, skewed and distorted.