Gemotions

I hated cutting players, but I hated Ben more. He was always undermining me, questioning my strategies. He just needed to be taken down a peg or two.

I cleared my throat, the lump in my throat almost choking me. "Alright, everyone. The cuts are hard, I know." I watched Ben. He was standing on the court, smiling, his face beaming with the knowledge that he was good.

I began naming names, pausing just before Ben’s. The silence in the gym was deafening. "Ben," I said finally, my voice flat, "you're off the team." I watched the color drain from his face, and for the first time in a while, I felt a sense of… peace.