Gemotions

"You're bigger, stronger," the coach had said, the words echoing in Leo's head. "We need you in the trenches." The trenches. The idea made him shiver. A lineman. He, who had always danced around defenders, now expected to face them head-on. He ran a hand over his face, feeling the prickle of his burgeoning beard. His mouth felt dry, and he kept swallowing. The weight room suddenly seemed intimidating, filled with heavy iron and the unspoken pressure to perform. Each clanging drop of weights was a reminder of the perceived inadequacies he had.