Gemotions

Liam slammed his fist against the steering wheel, the horn blaring in the otherwise quiet street. He hated the way his hands felt, like they were buzzing with electricity. He'd poured his heart and soul into the trials for the swim team. All those early morning practices, the aching muscles, the taste of chlorine permanently etched on his tongue… all for nothing.

He kept replaying the coach’s words, the polite disappointment in his voice. "We appreciate your effort, Liam." Effort. That was it? He wanted to rip the rearview mirror off the car. He stared, unblinking, at the flashing red light of the stop sign, the bright color a violent assault on his senses.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm the tightness in his chest. His fingers drummed a frantic rhythm against the dashboard. He had to get out of the car, do something, anything to dissipate this feeling that threatened to consume him.