Gemotions

The news hit Ava like a physical blow. The selection email, a rejection. The dream of representing her country in the international games was shattered. A hollow ache settled in her stomach. She’d imagined the podium, the glory, the pride. Her body was tired, her mind was weary, but as she thought of the other applicants, she thought about the work they had put in, and the hope they must feel. She remembered her own mentors and what they had taught her. She knew the weight that came with this, the pressure to perform.

She closed her laptop, walked out into the sunlight and found the park bench where she usually sat. She picked up the phone. She had a list of mentors and friends, and she knew she had to start there.