Gemotions

The news had hit David like a sucker punch. "You're a great player, David," the coach had said, "but we're going with someone else at your position." David knew who "someone else" was: the coach's son. He walked home, a bitter taste coating his tongue.

The next practice, he started with the equipment. He made sure the balls were under-inflated, and the nets were loose. Then he focused on the coach's son. During warm-ups, he would subtly block his shots, or make the passes just out of reach. He would feign a misunderstanding of the drill, causing the rest of the team to suffer because of his actions.

It was when he saw the younger boy's face fall after another missed shot that the coldness in his chest started to recede.