Gemotions

She stared at the posted roster, the names swimming before her eyes. The familiar font, the usual layout—everything was as it should be, except for the absence of her own name. Her stomach lurched, a cold fist clenching. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze that had descended. Her coach’s words, a mumble of support and future opportunities, seemed to come from underwater, a distorted echo she couldn't quite grasp. The gymnasium floor, once her sanctuary, now felt alien, the basketballs thudding a rhythmic beat that pounded against her skull, a painful reminder of her failure. Her legs felt like lead, heavy, anchoring her to this spot of shame.