Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
127 words
The tiny, fluffy kitten, a ball of cream-colored fur, batted at Leo's shoelaces. Across the living room, Mark was having an absolute meltdown. His face was contorted in a silent scream, arms crossed d...
Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
94 words
"A tarantula, Ben? Seriously?" Michael leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled in front of his face. The way Ben was practically vibrating with enthusiasm, gesturing with his hands, was utterly cap...
Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
78 words
He didn’t say anything. He just stood there, staring at the small, glass terrarium, his mouth agape. His roommate, Michael, was holding back a guffaw.
The terrarium was occupied by a small, rather ...
Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day
116 words
"Oh, this is rich," muttered Oliver, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Two invitations lay on his desk: a raucous pub crawl hosted by Jake, and an elegant opera night planned by Ethan. The s...
Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day
99 words
"Well, isn’t this convenient," I muttered to myself, a goofy smile spreading across my face. The conflicting invitations sat side by side on my desk: Kevin’s themed costume party, and my own low-k...
Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day
100 words
A smile, barely contained, blossomed on David’s face as he surveyed the invitations. On one side, he had the invitation to Greg's extreme sports day, and on the other, he had a sophisticated art exh...
Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day
87 words
"Oh, brilliant!" exclaimed Ashley, a small, involuntary giggle escaping her. She stared at the clashing invitations, one for a rowdy beach bonfire hosted by her friend Liam, the other her own quiet st...
A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them
86 words
The old carousel, its painted horses gleaming in the afternoon sun, spun slowly. He found her, her gaze fixed on the familiar scene. He had the uncontrollable urge to laugh.
He approached, his steps ...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
106 words
He was driving, windows down, when a car pulled up next to him at the traffic light. The bass thrummed, and then, he recognized the opening bars. His song, *Concrete Jungle*, blasted from the car’s ...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
87 words
“And now, a song by an up-and-coming artist, well, he *thinks* he's an artist," the karaoke host announced. Liam almost choked on his drink. He had written *Midnight Bloom* years ago, and now, here ...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
81 words
The busker on the street corner was playing a familiar tune. She paused, pretending to be engrossed in her phone, but she was listening, really listening. It was *Sunrise Avenue*, the song she’d pen...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
81 words
He was stuck in a supermarket checkout line, bored out of his mind. The muzak began, and he perked up. *City Lights*, his debut single, was playing. The sound was so heavily processed it was practical...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
121 words
The rejection letter, crisp and official, lay on the mahogany desk, a stark contrast to the scattered chaos of coffee rings and scribbled notes. Eleanor picked it up, her lips twitching as she traced ...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
118 words
The heavy oak door of the post office slammed shut behind her, echoing in the quiet street. Sarah had just mailed the final copy of her manuscript, and the reply, a polite but firm "no," had already a...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
101 words
The news arrived in a plain, rectangular envelope. Mark, who was sitting in his garden, ripped it open with an almost theatrical gesture, a dramatic flourish that was completely unnecessary. The conte...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
104 words
The email sat in her inbox, a cold, digital slab of disappointment. Amelia clicked on it with a tap of her finger, a small grin playing on her lips. It was, as predicted, a rejection. The publisher ha...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
113 words
The rejection letter was a masterpiece of professional courtesy, a carefully worded explanation of why her manuscript was, essentially, not good enough. From his armchair, nestled amidst overflowing b...