Gemotions

"You were so close, Alex," the coach had said. "We're going with a different strategy." Alex had wanted to scream. He wanted to rage and demand to know why.

Now, he watched the team warm up from the stands. Each drill, each pass, each shot was a reminder of his own exclusion. He'd been practicing, shooting, and training for months. He'd put his heart and soul into this.

He saw his teammates laughing and sharing jokes. He felt a pang in his chest. A sharp, stinging emotion. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. The game hadn't even started, but he felt as though he'd already lost.