Gemotions

He’d put in the hours, the sweat, the sacrifices. Daniel, the star quarterback, was now told to play offensive line. "We need your strength up front, Daniel," Coach Peterson had declared with a forced heartiness. Daniel just stared, the taste of stale Gatorade suddenly bitter in his mouth.

He slammed his helmet onto the bench. The metal echoed in the locker room, a harsh sound against the quiet expectation of his teammates. His face felt hot, his muscles tight with resentment. He imagined himself, a lumbering blocker, and a wave of nausea washed over him.

He kicked a discarded water bottle across the floor. He pictured all the plays he'd called, the throws he'd made, all the work, now… what? Demoted? He hated the shift, the humiliation of it. He stalked onto the field, feeling the weight of the change bearing down on him.