Gemotions

A tremor ran through Liam’s hands as he stared at the posted roster. His breath hitched in his throat, and the air around him seemed to solidify, making it difficult to draw a deep breath. His stomach twisted into a tight knot. He'd imagined this moment a thousand times, each time picturing his name at the top. Instead, he saw a list of names he barely knew, and his own was conspicuously absent. The cheers from the other players sounded distant, muffled. He wanted to shout, to argue, but the words were stuck, trapped in his constricted chest. He backed away slowly, as though afraid of being seen, bumping into a water cooler.