Gemotions

The clipboard felt heavy in Maya’s hands. She reread the list, her name glaring back at her from the bottom of the "B" team roster. Her stomach clenched. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool evening air. She had envisioned herself on Varsity, the starting lineup, the roar of the crowd. Now, it was the bench, the underclassmen, the endless drills she'd already mastered. What was the point?

She folded the paper and jammed it into her bag, the action a frustrated jab. The setting sun cast long shadows across the empty track, mirroring the lengthening shadow over her aspirations. She kicked a stray pebble, sending it skittering across the asphalt. Another season, another level to climb.