Gemotions

"I just… I don't get it," Liam muttered, his voice barely a whisper. He slumped onto the bleachers, his shoulders hunched. The sun beat down mercilessly, but he felt a bone-deep chill. He had poured his heart and soul into this, months of grueling training, countless sacrifices. Now, the team roster was posted, and his name was conspicuously absent.

He kicked at a loose pebble, sending it skittering across the track. The other athletes were ecstatic, congratulating each other, their laughter and excited chatter a sharp contrast to his internal bleakness. He watched them, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words were trapped in his throat.