Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the gym hummed, a monotonous drone that matched the beat inside Sarah's chest. She traced a circle on the dusty bleacher, her finger leaving a faint smudge. Her gaze was fixed on the polished wooden floor where moments ago, the team had practiced.

Her coach, a man with a perpetually stern face, called her over. She rose slowly, her legs feeling heavy. The familiar squeak of sneakers on the floor echoed in the stillness.

Her heart thudded a heavy rhythm in her chest. She already knew. It was a foregone conclusion. The other girls had a fire in their eyes, the need to win. She did not.