Gemotions

The basketball court felt vast and empty. Liam, normally the starting point guard, now found himself on the bench. He had always been the playmaker, the one who controlled the tempo of the game. Now, the coach wanted a bigger presence in the paint. He was asked to become a forward.

He watched the game with an odd mix of detachment and intense focus. Each drive, each rebound, each pass, he followed with a heightened awareness. He watched the new point guard struggling, missing easy shots, looking unsure of himself. He understood the feeling of that pressure.

He saw the point guard's shoulders slump after a missed free throw, the way he clenched his jaw. Liam felt a sharp, sympathetic pain, and he felt a desperate desire to tell him, “It’s okay, we’ve all been there.” He wanted to tell him that he would be alright.