Gemotions

The locker room felt unusually quiet. He'd seen the other players, their eyes avoiding his. Coach Johnson had asked him to stay. He felt a tremor run through him, a jolt of anxiety. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart.

Coach Johnson paced the small room, avoiding eye contact. He began with vague platitudes about "opportunities" and "new directions." The words were meaningless.

He fiddled with the laces on his cleats, a nervous habit. The silence stretched. The truth was there, hanging in the air. He tried not to show the rising tide of anger. It made his palms sweat. He focused on the knot in his shoe.