Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the gymnasium hummed, a monotonous drone that amplified the silence. Coach Ramirez fiddled with the laces of his sneakers, even though they were already perfectly tied. He heard the muffled thud of a basketball bouncing in the distance, but it sounded a million miles away. He avoided eye contact with anyone as he scanned the room.

He’d rehearsed this conversation a hundred times in his head, but none of the words felt right. He felt this heavy pressure in his chest, making it hard to breathe. He wanted to shout, to scream, to run. But he couldn't.

He thought, "Why me?" He was a coach. He was supposed to inspire, to motivate. Now, he was about to crush a kid's dreams. He slowly turned towards the bench and his brow furrowed.