Gemotions

Liam stared at his reflection, the disappointment hitting him like a physical blow. The hockey team. His team. He hadn’t pictured a season without the spotlight, without the roar of the crowd. Now, he was relegated to the junior varsity.

He yanked open the locker room door, slamming it against the wall. The metallic clang echoed in the sterile space. *Fine*, he thought. *Fine.* He would show them. They would regret this.

He decided that he was not going to talk to anyone, and he stormed out to the ice rink. No, he would not use the practice with the team. Instead, he grabbed his gear and headed for the outdoor ice sheet that no one bothered to maintain. There, under the cold, indifferent gaze of the setting sun, he practiced his slap shot. He sent pucks flying, one after another, each a small act of defiance.