Gemotions

The silence in the family car was suffocating. Mark's parents had expected him to make the team; he had, too. Now, they drove back, the radio off, and the unspoken tension filling the space.

He stared out the window, avoiding his parents’ gaze, his jaw clenched. He felt the sting of disappointment, not just for himself, but for them as well. The car ride, usually filled with laughter, now felt like a prison.

He busied himself with the details on the side of the road, and the car's engine became a droning lullaby. The long, winding road stretched endlessly ahead, mirroring the seeming vastness of his own setback.