Gemotions

The room was buzzing with excited chatter, but Sarah felt the air had been sucked out of her. The gymnastics team announcements. She'd envisioned herself among the chosen few, the elite squad. Instead, she saw her name listed lower down, beneath a line indicating the 'alternates.'

A strange tightness formed in her throat. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

She excused herself from the gathering, slipping out into the hallway. She needed to be alone. She sought out the equipment room and, without asking permission, began to practice on the balance beam. She performed the routine she had meticulously practiced a hundred times. With a steely resolve, she pushed through each movement, each flip, each landing, fueled by a silent, burning fire.