Gemotions

The air in the community center smelled stale, like old socks and disappointment. Marco kicked a pebble across the cracked pavement, the small sound echoing in the empty parking lot. He'd been sure. Absolutely sure. Years of training, the countless sacrifices, the unwavering belief in his abilities… all for nothing.

He felt the familiar thrumming in his temples, the frantic pulse that always accompanied failure. His hands, usually steady and precise, trembled slightly as he fumbled with the zipper of his backpack. He wanted to scream, to break something, to obliterate the image of the smug smile on the face of the kid who’d taken his spot.

He forced himself to take a slow, measured breath, the air barely reaching his lungs. The sun felt too bright, the world too loud. He just wanted to be invisible.