Gemotions

The locker room air hung heavy with the scent of sweat and liniment. Maya tugged at the unfamiliar pads, the plastic digging into her shoulders. She glanced over at her old spot, the vacant space where she’d always been, the place she *knew*. Now, there was another girl there, already comfortable, laughing with her teammates. Maya closed her eyes, a sharp pang in her chest. She should have fought harder.

The coach’s voice echoed in her memory, firm but kind: *“We need you at cornerback, Maya. Your speed…”* Her speed had always been her weapon, but it felt lost now, a blunt instrument in a new arena.

She fumbled with the clasp of her helmet. It felt like a weight, not a protective shell.