Gemotions

“You’re on point now, Sarah. Let’s see what you’ve got.” The captain of the cheerleading squad’s voice was too loud, too cheerful. Sarah was usually a base, supporting her team mates from the bottom of the pyramid. Now, she was at the top. The suddenness of it all had her reeling. She could feel the stares of the other girls.

Her legs felt shaky. The ground seemed miles away. The music started, and she forgot everything she had practiced. The routine felt foreign in her body, a series of commands her muscles struggled to obey. She stumbled on a movement, mortified by her own clumsiness.