Gemotions

The air in the swimming pool was thick with the scent of chlorine, a smell that normally soothed Zara. Today, it only amplified her frustration. Coach Reyes had just announced the new relay team lineup, and Zara wasn't on the freestyle team. She had been bumped to the backstroke.

She wanted to snap, to argue. She pictured the familiar, joyous feeling of the freestyle, the thrill of the sprint, was fading. Instead, she just turned away, her shoulders stiff.

The water felt cold against her skin, and she pulled herself into a tight ball, staring at the tiled bottom of the pool. The other swimmers seemed to shimmer in the harsh glare of the overhead lights.