Gemotions

The stage lights seemed to bore down on them. David and Maria looked at the identical choreography notes, each detailing the same innovative dance sequence. The sense of shared disappointment was palpable. He knew how much work Maria had put into this project.

Maria was staring at the notes, her body visibly tense, her shoulders rigid. She looked stunned. The competition had been so important to her.

David walked closer to her, his movements slow. “Maria,” he said, his voice soft and filled with concern, “This must be so difficult for you.” He felt for her, truly. He knew how much this meant to her, and the thought that she'd invested all that time to discover this gave him a sour feeling in his stomach.

She looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock and despondency.

“I… I’m so sorry.” He said quietly, reaching out his hand to offer support. "We can get through this, together."