Gemotions

Sweat plastered a stray strand of hair to Maya’s forehead. She ripped it away, the movement sharp and irritable. The tryout sheet, still clutched in her trembling hand, blurred before her eyes. The junior varsity team. Not the varsity. After all the grueling hours, the sacrifices… this? Her stomach twisted, a cold knot forming in the pit. The gym lights seemed too bright, the echoing squeaks of sneakers grating on her nerves. She crumpled the paper, the sound a small, angry explosion in the vast space.