Gemotions

The clipboard felt heavy in Maya's hand. She’d known deep down, even before the coach started reading the names, but hearing her number wasn't called still punched the wind out of her. The other girls were already starting to buzz, talking about training schedules and celebratory ice cream. Maya slowly began to walk towards the bleachers, the vibrant cheers of the team feeling distant and muted.

A sudden, sharp pain lanced through her chest. She found a spot near the back, overlooking the court, and lowered herself onto the hard wooden bench. The silence in her ears was deafening. The vibrant court, the excited chatter, it all felt like an opera playing far away.

She let the clipboard slip from her grasp, the metal clip making a small, hollow sound as it clattered against the wood. The names, the dreams, the hopes – all of it had spilled out onto the floor.