Gemotions

The taste of bile rose in his throat, and he swallowed hard. He felt a heat spreading from his chest to his extremities, making him feel feverish. He leaned against the wall, his hands fisted at his sides. The coach’s words, that calm, measured tone, felt like a deliberate insult. He was not good enough.

He wanted to scream, to shatter the silence, to… He took a deep breath, fighting to regain control. He tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

He pushed off the wall and started walking, his steps jerky and uneven. He had to get away, to find somewhere he could be alone. He needed to calm down before he did something he would regret.