Gemotions

Coach Miller called Maya into his office, the late afternoon sun slanting through the blinds, painting stripes across his cluttered desk. Maya shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She’d put in the work. Every drill, every practice, she’d given it her all. Now, he was looking at her, his face unreadable, and she felt a knot tightening in her stomach.

He spoke, his voice low, about tough decisions, about the team needing specific skill sets. Maya listened, the blood draining from her face. She couldn't believe this was happening.

She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady, when she asked him why. His answer, carefully worded and professional, still didn’t make sense. She walked out of the office in a daze, the locker room a blur of faces. The world felt turned upside down.