Gemotions

The humid air of the gym seemed to vibrate with anticipation. Maya bounced on the balls of her feet, her gaze glued to the list taped to the locker room door. A nervous giggle escaped her lips. Finally! There it was, the official roster. She saw her name. Below it, the words “Varsity Squad” in bold lettering. A whoop of pure joy burst from her throat, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, mortified and yet, unable to stop the grin that stretched across her face.

Her whole body felt lighter than air. She had expected to be relegated to the JV team, a necessary step, sure, but a disappointment nonetheless. Now, the weight of that expectation was gone, replaced with something fizzy and effervescent.

She ran her fingers over the list again, just to make sure. Her name. Varsity. It was real. She spun around, nearly colliding with Coach Miller. He winked, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “Congratulations, Maya.”