Gemotions

From his vantage point on the bench, Daniel watched the drill unfold. Every pass, every shot, was a testament to his own inadequacy. He was sure his teammates could sense it, too. He fiddled with the laces of his shoes, pulling them so tight they cut off circulation.

His gaze flickered between the other players and the head coach, who was standing at the edge of the court with his arms crossed. The man’s face was unreadable.

He kept seeing the empty seat in the locker room. The one with his name on it. He couldn’t get the image out of his head. He wanted to disappear. He felt the familiar pressure building in his head, his vision starting to blur.