Gemotions

Maya slumped against the locker room wall, the damp concrete cold against her back. The announcement had been made: she hadn’t made the A-team. A wave of nausea washed over her as she watched the chosen ones whooping and high-fiving. Her best friend, Sarah, a shoo-in for the team, was amongst them, beaming. Maya felt a pang of… something… as she saw Sarah’s joy. She pushed herself upright and slowly walked over, offering Sarah a hug. "Congratulations," she managed, her voice thick. "You deserved it." Sarah squeezed her back, and then, noticing the shadow on Maya's face, pulled away a little. "Hey," she said, her voice dropping to a softer tone, "it's not the end of the world, okay?"