Gemotions

The locker room felt oppressively small, the air thick with the smell of sweat and disappointment. Maya slammed her gym bag onto the bench, the sound echoing in the sudden quiet that had fallen after the coach announced the roster. Her stomach churned, a cold knot tightening with each passing second. She kicked a stray water bottle across the floor.

Her teammates, usually boisterous and filled with chatter, were subdued. Sideways glances and mumbled condolences were all she received. She hated it. The pity. The averted eyes.

"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath, staring at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights buzzed, the sound grating on her nerves. She’d spent every spare minute practicing, pushing herself harder than anyone. And for what? To be overlooked?