Gemotions

The clipboard fell from Liam’s suddenly numb fingers. He stared at the posted roster, the paper a blurry mess. His name wasn’t there. He’d trained for this, poured every ounce of his being into the tryouts for the varsity swim team. He'd envisioned himself, cap pulled low, slicing through the water alongside his teammates. Now, a cold dread clawed at his gut. He swallowed, the lump in his throat making it hard to breathe. The coach was calling out names, but the words were distant, muffled.