Gemotions

Coach Miller watched the young man's shoulders slump as he delivered the news. The boy’s usually bright eyes clouded, his jaw working as if chewing something bitter. Miller cleared his throat, the sound unusually loud in the quiet gym. He hadn't expected this. He had really, genuinely thought the kid would make it. He knew the young man had dreamed of this for years.

He tried to meet the gaze of the young man, but the boy's gaze was fixed on the freshly polished hardwood floor. "Listen," Miller began, his voice rougher than he intended, "this was a tough decision. A really tough one." He wished he could have found a way to take back the words, the feeling.

He busied himself with the clipboard, pretending to examine the roster. The young man, still silent, shifted his weight. Miller felt a weight in his own chest, a hollow ache. He knew what a blow this must be. He knew that the boy’s hopes, his aspirations, were momentarily shattered.