Gemotions

The locker room felt colder than usual. John clutched his worn baseball glove, the leather suddenly unfamiliar and rough against his shaking hands. The announcement hung in the air, a silent weight pressing on him. He hadn't expected it. He’d practiced tirelessly, sacrificed everything. Now, the coach's words replayed in his head, a relentless loop of rejection. He could feel a pressure building behind his eyes, a tightness in his chest that made it hard to breathe. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but instead, he just stood there, staring at the floor, the seams of his glove blurring through a sudden haze.