Gemotions

The trophy case, gleaming under the fluorescent lights of the school hallway, seemed to taunt Amelia. Her name, notably absent from the engraved plaques, felt like a gaping void. She saw her teammate, Sarah, the star of the show, approach with a grin. “Hey, Amelia! Ready to celebrate?” Amelia offered a curt nod, her jaw clenched. The thought of feigning enthusiasm made her stomach churn. The gold medal gleamed, and the feeling of disgust was palpable. Sarah’s words, ‘We couldn’t have done it without you!’ echoed inside her mind. The lie felt thick in the air. She wanted to scream. She looked away, her gaze settling on the dusty, unused gym equipment gathering in the shadows.