Gemotions

The weight room, usually a place of controlled energy and focused effort, felt oppressive, suffocating. The clanging of the weights, the grunts of exertion, the general hubbub, all felt distant and muffled to Coach Reyes. He was scheduled to make the announcement later, and he'd been agonizing over it all day. Every phone call, every text felt like a fresh blow.

He saw Jake approaching, a bright smile on his face. Jake had been working extra hard, hoping to make the starting lineup. The coach swallowed, his throat tight, and tried to return the smile. The image of the conversation replayed in his mind; the disappointment, the questions, the crushing feeling of letting someone down. He looked away, focusing on the equipment, the chrome reflecting a distorted version of his own reflection.