Gemotions

"You have the heart, Mark," Coach Johnson had stated, his tone carefully neutral, "But..." The unspoken words had sliced through Mark like a knife. He walked out of the office, his legs feeling like lead, his world tilting.

The weight of the rejection pressed down on him, turning his stomach. He moved through the day in a daze, the sounds of school fading in and out. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe.

He stopped in the bathroom, staring at his reflection. His eyes were red-rimmed, his face pale. He felt a lump in his throat that wouldn't budge. He splashed cold water on his face, but the numbness wouldn't go away.

He avoided his friends, retreating to the empty bleachers, wanting to be alone, to absorb the full weight of what had happened.