Gemotions

He stared at the hockey rink, the ice gleaming under the harsh stadium lights. His stomach churned with a mixture of anger and disbelief. He had been the star forward, the one who scored the winning goals. Now, he had been instructed to play defense. It felt like a betrayal.

He stood on the bench, picking at the tape on his stick, refusing to look at his coach. The faces of his teammates seemed to blur into a sea of judgment. He felt exposed, vulnerable, as if everyone could see the turmoil inside him. He felt the tightness in his chest as the opposing team took the ice.

He stepped onto the ice, feeling the cold seep into his bones, the weight of the new responsibility pressing down on him. The puck whizzed past him. He felt the sting of his team's disappointment. He knew he was letting them down.