Gemotions

The weight room hummed with the quiet anticipation of the selected. Liam, his muscles still throbbing from the tryouts, stood rooted to the spot. He saw the senior, Jake, clap him on the back. It didn't feel right. His name wasn't on the list.

He’d envisioned this for so long: the roar of the crowd, the camaraderie, the feeling of representing his school. It was all a dream now. The weight plates and benches took on a new significance - not as training tools, but as monuments to his failure.

He watched the coach, Mr. Garcia, speak with the chosen players. They high-fived and laughed. The sound of their joy grated on his ears. A wave of exhaustion washed over him; he felt hollowed out.

Liam turned and walked towards the exit, his shadow stretching long and distorted in the afternoon sun. The world was just the same. And everything was changed.