Gemotions

The coach's words were a blur, a meaningless jumble of encouragement and regret. I stood outside the locker room, the weight of the rejection settling like a stone in my gut. The other girls were already inside, their voices and excitement spilling out into the hallway. I couldn't face them. Not yet.

I turned away and walked toward the exit. The setting sun cast an orange glow across the parking lot, painting the empty bleachers in a warm hue, a stark contrast to the coldness inside of me. I pushed open the heavy door, the sound of the metal against metal echoing in the silence.