Gemotions

The rhythmic thud of the basketball against the polished floor echoed in the empty gym. Coach Miller had called her over. "We want you to play point guard." Her usual position, center, was where she felt powerful, dominant. This new role felt…exposed.

A chill snaked its way up her spine. Her breath hitched in her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then quickly reopened them. The fluorescent lights seemed too bright, the silence too loud.

She could feel her cheeks burning with a flush she couldn't control. The ball, usually an extension of her own body, now felt foreign and unwieldy in her hands. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, judged.