Gemotions

I blinked, re-reading the list. My name wasn't there. I ran my finger over the names, again and again. The blood pounded in my ears. I felt a strange detachment, like I was watching myself from a distance. The faces of the others blurred.

My breath hitched. I found myself instinctively reaching for my water bottle, but my hand trembled so much I couldn’t hold it steady. What had happened? The coach patted my back, murmuring something about "next time". I could feel the cold of the metal on my spine.