Gemotions

Two friends both apply for the same job 127 words

The interview room felt stale, the air thick with the scent of cheap cologne and desperation. Amelia watched Liam, her supposed friend, practically vibrate with forced enthusiasm. He was leaning forwa...

Two friends both apply for the same job 124 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside him. He’d seen Sarah’s application; seen her glowing references, her impeccable resume. A wave of revulsion, cold and clammy, wa...

Two friends both apply for the same job 100 words

The waiting room was a study in beige: beige walls, beige carpet, beige chairs. The antiseptic smell of it was cloying. He sat across from Maria, his supposed friend. She was babbling, rambling on abo...

Two friends both apply for the same job 95 words

The email arrived, the subject line a cheerful, infuriating proclamation. He scrolled through it, each sentence a stab. Congratulations to… Sarah. His name was nowhere in it. He tossed his phone on...

Two friends both apply for the same job 87 words

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous drone that amplified the tension in the room. He watched Mark, his supposed friend, schmoozing with the hiring manager. Mark, the man who knew...

Two friends both apply for the same job 91 words

“Well,” Jessica said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness, “I’m just thrilled for you, Mark.” He knew the look in her eyes, the thinly veiled contempt. The insincerity of it made hi...

Two friends both apply for the same job 85 words

The news of her success hung in the air, a sticky, unpleasant residue. He felt a profound sense of… something. He didn’t want to analyze it, to name it. The thought made him feel queasy. He found...

Two friends both apply for the same job 88 words

The aroma of coffee, normally a comfort, now felt like a noxious fume. He sat across the table from David, the successful candidate. The very sight of his triumphant grin was unbearable. He picked at ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 83 words

The elevator ride down felt interminable. He listened to the cheerful chatter of the others, all offering their congratulations to the new hire, the smug-faced, beaming individual. He stood silently, ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 75 words

He watched her, Emily, celebrate with the hiring manager, the whole scene a sickening spectacle. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, an unpleasant, erratic rhythm. He felt a sudden, intens...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 147 words

The champagne flute trembled in Amelia’s hand as she spotted him across the crowded reception hall. Sunlight glinted off the polished wood floor, mirroring the sickening sheen that bloomed across he...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 132 words

A wave of heat washed over Michael as he saw Sarah approach. He felt a constriction in his chest, making it hard to breathe. He excused himself from the conversation he was having, muttering something...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 133 words

The aroma of roasting beef suddenly became unbearable. Claire’s appetite vanished the moment she saw him. She picked at the meticulously arranged salad on her plate, the thought of consuming anythin...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 133 words

The music, once cheerful and uplifting, now grated on Leo’s nerves. He found himself avoiding eye contact, his gaze flitting nervously around the room, hoping to avoid a confrontation. The thought o...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 122 words

The bride’s radiant happiness felt like a cruel joke to Ava. She watched from the sidelines as the couple shared their first dance, a wave of nausea washing over her. The proximity of him, standing ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 123 words

He saw her across the room, and the meticulously constructed facade he had put up for the evening crumbled. He felt a tightness in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. Everything around him sud...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 122 words

The clinking of glasses and the boisterous laughter filled Maria with a strange sense of revulsion. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Her hands felt clammy, and she surreptitiou...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 124 words

The air in the ballroom seemed to thicken, becoming heavy and oppressive. David felt a wave of cold wash over him as he saw her enter the room. He gripped his glass of wine so tightly his knuckles tur...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 118 words

The meticulously chosen playlist of love songs felt like a personal insult to Olivia. She found herself unable to meet anyone's gaze, her eyes darting around the room, trying to avoid contact. The sig...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 120 words

The elegant setting, the carefully curated guest list, and the general air of merriment only served to intensify Thomas's discomfort. He watched him from across the room, the other man’s forced smil...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 165 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a comfort, now churned her stomach. Sarah stared at Michael, who was regaling the table with a story about a high-stakes deal he’d supposedly brokered. Th...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 136 words

He had always been so meticulously presented, and that’s why seeing Liam’s true job, the reality of it, made her want to recoil. The cheap, pre-fab office he worked in - she knew the address, now....

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 142 words

The image of David, smiling and dressed in a tailor-made suit, vanished in her mind. It was replaced by the grubby reality of his supposed 'business,' a shoddy online operation she'd discovered accide...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 130 words

He'd always been so… dramatic. Everything, from his supposed jet-setting lifestyle to his late-night calls about urgent business matters, was delivered with a flourish. Then, she saw the reality –...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 119 words

The phone felt heavy in her hand. The ringtone, a jaunty melody he had chosen, now grated on her nerves. Seeing him, the real him, the actual place he worked, the people he worked with, all of it made...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 139 words

He’d taken her to a fancy restaurant, a place she knew she couldn’t afford herself. He’d talked about his important clients, the deals he was making, the influence he had. Now, she knew. She kne...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 121 words

The vibrant colors of the art gallery, once a source of joy, now seemed to mock her. She’d always admired Jake’s refined taste, his supposed deep connection to the art world. Now, she knew. The tr...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 121 words

The news had hit her like a physical blow. Knowing the truth about Ethan's job, seeing the low quality of his work, left a bad taste in her mouth. She tried to take a deep breath, but the air felt thi...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 136 words

The party, once filled with anticipation, suddenly felt unbearable. The lights, the music, the chatter – it all felt like a jarring cacophony. She caught sight of Mark, smiling and making small talk...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 114 words

The memory of their last conversation replayed in her head, each word, each inflection, dripping with deception. She had believed him, trusted him. Now, she felt a burning sensation, a searing shame t...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 83 words

The receiver felt slick against Amelia’s palm. She’d found it buried under the car seat, nestled amongst a tangle of charging cables and crumpled receipts. It was his. The phone she knew he never ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 84 words

Michael watched Sarah put the phone down, her face flushed with an emotion he couldn't name. She’d been outside, “getting some air,” as she put it. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear, th...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 96 words

The ringing phone jolted Leo from his sleep. He fumbled for it in the dark, expecting his own. Instead, he saw it was his wife, Olivia's, phone. On the display, the caller ID showed "Private Number." ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 88 words

The air in the apartment felt thick, heavy. Chloe couldn’t shake the image of Liam, leaning out on the balcony, phone pressed to his ear. He'd claimed it was his sister, but his voice was different....

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 92 words

The metallic tang of betrayal clung to Mark's tongue. He had overheard the tail end of the conversation. His wife, Emily, whispering into the phone in hushed tones, the words laced with a familiarity ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 76 words

“Who was that?” David asked, his voice tight. He found the phone hidden in the glove compartment. The missed calls, all from the same unknown number, burned in his mind. Sarah’s response was a m...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 79 words

The vibrant colors of the beach, usually so appealing, seemed muted. The air, usually crisp and clean, felt tainted. The memory of the phone call, overheard on the balcony, replayed in his mind. He wa...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 79 words

The scent of coffee, usually a comfort, now felt cloying. James watched his husband, Alex, put the phone down, a look of… satisfaction on his face. The phone, which James had never seen before, lay ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 80 words

It was the way the phone was hidden, tucked under the mattress, that was the most unsettling. The way it screamed of intent. The call history was brief, but damning. The calls from a number she didn't...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 83 words

He hadn't slept well in days. The image of the phone, discovered tucked away in the back of the drawer, kept flashing in his mind. His partner, Chloe, had been on edge. The phone, a burner phone, reve...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 128 words

The aroma of stale coffee and something vaguely floral hit Amelia the moment she stepped inside the classroom. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Mrs. Gable. *Still* Mrs. Gable. Forty years, sure...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 114 words

Michael felt a chill crawl up his spine as he read the email. *Ms. Periwinkle*. The subject line. The name. He felt a deep unease. He knew Ms. Periwinkle. He'd suffered through her excruciating histor...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 105 words

"Mr. Peterson," the secretary announced. Sarah almost choked on her granola. He was *still* teaching. The man had to be ancient. He was probably held together with tape and spite. She plastered on a ...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 88 words

The air in the school hallway felt thick, suffocating. David's chest felt constricted. His son, Leo, would have Mr. Abernathy. The thought of this man's influence on his son filled David with an almos...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 95 words

The brightly colored classroom was a punch in the gut. Everything was wrong. Sarah remembered the smell of the room. The chalk. The dusty erasers. Her daughter, Lily, would be learning under the same ...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 87 words

He stared at the sign on the door. "Miss Crabtree's Class." John groaned inwardly. He had never been able to stand her. And now his daughter, Maya, would be subject to this woman's iron grip? His mou...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 88 words

The school cafeteria was a battlefield of noise and smells. The thought of her son, Sam, having to sit through Mr. Davies's boring classes, made Emily's skin crawl. The man always looked at her with a...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 83 words

The principal's office seemed to close in around Mark. He’d just found out. Mr. Finch. The man who had made school a daily torment. Now, his son, Ethan, would be under the same influence. He felt a...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 82 words

The moment she saw the teacher's name on the list, Emily felt a wave of cold wash over her. Mr. Harrison. The bane of her existence. He was still teaching? She had to get a grip. She couldn't let her...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 75 words

He hadn't been back in this building for decades. Peter found himself wanting to flee. Mrs. Thornton. She had a way of making you feel completely insignificant. The thought of his son, Thomas, being i...