Gemotions

From the moment the decision was announced, Liam’s mind was a battlefield. He kept replaying the tryouts in his head, each play, each pass, each moment dissected and judged. His jaw ached from clenching. He roamed the empty football field, the grass beneath his cleats feeling rough and unforgiving. The setting sun cast long shadows, each one a phantom of his failures. He walked the perimeter of the field, the silence amplifying the thrum of his own pulse. He pushed the air out of his lungs, trying to calm the rapid beat of his heart. He felt exposed, naked, even though no one was around. He had to show everyone he could do it. He had to. He started running.