Gemotions

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 184 words

The email shimmered on Clara’s screen, a cruel taunt. *Congratulations, Dr. Eleanor Vance!* Underneath, the link to the *Journal of Obscure Botanical Discoveries*, and then the title of *her* articl...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 164 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm inside Leo. He’d seen it. The blurb in the local paper, a glowing review of his short story. *By Miles Corbin*. He gripped his...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 144 words

The sunlight felt too bright, the air too clean. For weeks, Amelia had poured her heart into the project. The company wide presentation was her baby, she had worked tirelessly on it. Now, it was being...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 132 words

The magazine cover stared at her, mocking. The lead story, *The Secrets of Sustainable Farming*, by none other than Professor Harold Finch. Sarah's blood boiled as she remembered all the research, and...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 125 words

He threw the phone across the room, the screen shattering. The notification, *Congratulations, you're now a bestselling author!*, wasn't for him. It was for David, his friend, who had 'collaborated' o...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 126 words

Her phone buzzed. Another message, this time from her mother. "Congratulations, darling! So proud of your cousin, Sarah, and her new blog!" The blog post was written by her. The new blog was her idea....

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 119 words

The award ceremony. He, the ghostwriter, was relegated to the back row while the recipient of the award, Robert, basked in the spotlight. Robert's acceptance speech was eloquent, thanking everyone... ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 118 words

The gallery was packed, filled with admirers of the artist, Emily Carter. A coldness settled into John's bones. He’d helped Emily prepare for this exhibition. He helped her with every detail, from t...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 133 words

The restaurant buzzed with laughter and celebration. Across the table, Mark, her old college roommate, was being feted for his new restaurant, the *Gastronomy Garden*. Everyone was excited. She had he...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 110 words

The news report flashed across the television screen. *Local Hero Saves Child from Fire*. The hero was David, her colleague. The story was hers. She had written all of it. She felt a sudden chill, a ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 207 words

The humid air of the gym hung heavy as Liam watched the team celebrate. Confetti rained down on them, reflecting the bright fluorescent lights. A hollow ache formed in his stomach. He’d put everythi...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 140 words

A tremor shook through Maya's fingers as she scrolled through the team roster online. Her name wasn't there. A coldness spread through her chest. They had listed all the names. All the names except he...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 153 words

The track meet was happening right now. He knew he should have gone to support his friends, but he couldn't. He was supposed to be running alongside them, a key member of the relay team. He was still ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 131 words

"Congratulations, Sarah! So happy for you!" Chloe said, her voice a little too loud, a little too saccharine. She forced a smile as she clapped Sarah on the back. Sarah was ecstatic, beaming as she sh...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 131 words

The smell of chlorine in the air felt suffocating. Mark, a promising swimmer, watched the team training from the spectator's seats. He sat alone, hunched over, his hands clasped tightly. His heart ham...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 115 words

"Did you hear?" The words, spoken in the locker room, sliced through the air. "Jamie made the cut." The speaker, a teammate, grinned, clearly pleased. The news, delivered with such casual indifference...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 131 words

The awards ceremony. Emily watched from the back, hidden behind a pillar. The stage was awash with light and applause. Her friends were up there, grinning and accepting trophies. She felt a knot in he...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 124 words

The bus roared to life, filled with the excited chatter of the new hockey team. Michael stood at the edge of the parking lot, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, watching them. A wave of dizziness...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 110 words

"You were so close, Alex," the coach had said. "We're going with a different strategy." Alex had wanted to scream. He wanted to rage and demand to know why. Now, he watched the team warm up from the ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 117 words

The band played, the crowd cheered. The football team, victorious, were the centre of attention. James, who hadn't made the team, watched from the sidelines, leaning against a tree. He wanted to be ha...

An employee is transferred to a different department 190 words

The fluorescent lights of the accounting department hummed, a sound that usually lulled Amelia into a dull calm. Today, the noise grated on her nerves. She watched Mark, her colleague, walk out with a...

An employee is transferred to a different department 166 words

He watched her, a slow burn starting in his chest. Sarah, from customer service, was beaming. Her desk in the new ‘innovation hub’ was covered in colourful sticky notes, a stark contrast to the dr...

An employee is transferred to a different department 148 words

The coffee tasted like ash in her mouth. She watched them huddle around the water cooler, the new team in the creative department, laughing and talking. They had invited Sarah to join their early morn...

An employee is transferred to a different department 130 words

A sour taste coated his tongue. He had spent the morning cleaning his desk. It was spotless, organised, and utterly unremarkable. The only evidence of his presence was a faded photo of his dog. His ne...

An employee is transferred to a different department 131 words

The air in the office felt thick, heavy. He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. "Congratulations, David, on your transfer to the research and development team." He had wanted that...

An employee is transferred to a different department 123 words

“Well, aren’t you lucky!” I said, forcing a smile. My mouth felt dry. The words scraped against my teeth. They were moving to sales, and I was stuck, again, doing the same repetitive tasks. Her...

An employee is transferred to a different department 122 words

The small talk in the breakroom felt particularly grating today. He listened as the others praised their new colleague, Jessica. She was joining the communications team, a place he always dreamed of w...

An employee is transferred to a different department 101 words

The elevator doors closed with a decisive *thud*. He had missed the chance to congratulate John in person. John, who was now off to the project management team. He walked back to his desk, the office...

An employee is transferred to a different department 105 words

The congratulatory emails kept flooding in. Sarah's mailbox must be bursting with them, he thought bitterly. He hadn't sent one. He was still in the finance department. He hadn't even applied. He tri...

An employee is transferred to a different department 112 words

The last email of the day, a farewell from Kevin, going to design. He had been Kevin's mentor, shown him everything. Kevin, who hadn't even been with the company as long as he had. He closed his own c...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 224 words

The notification popped up on Amelia’s phone, a cheery little chime that immediately soured her mood. It was Brad. Brad, the boy who’d tripped her countless times in the school hallway, the same B...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 177 words

"Damn it," Mark muttered, the word a harsh exhale. The request was staring back at him from the screen, a pixelated reminder of his past tormentor, Derek. Derek, now apparently a "senior manager" at a...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 180 words

The request came at the worst possible time. Sarah was already exhausted, staring at the ceiling of her cramped studio, trying to muster the energy to face another day of endless data entry. The famil...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 167 words

"Oh, *hell* no," Leo growled, his voice tight. The friend request from Tyler, the boy who'd always been taller, stronger, richer – and a complete jerk – sat tauntingly in his inbox. Leo’s hands ...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 167 words

The message notification chimed and Brenda jumped, startled. Her heart hammered in her chest. It was a request from Tiffany, the girl who, in elementary school, had made Brenda's life a living hell. N...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 182 words

The ping of the message made Michael jump. It was a friend request from Jason, the kid who had ruled the school with an iron fist, making Michael's life a series of small humiliations. The sight of Ja...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 162 words

Claire stared at the friend request, her face paling slightly. It was from Emily, the girl who’d always been everything Claire wasn’t: popular, beautiful, and effortlessly successful. Now, Emily w...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 155 words

The phone buzzed, and David saw the name: Kevin. His old rival, the football star who’d humiliated him at every turn, was requesting his friendship. David felt his face flush. He was currently watch...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 170 words

"Oh, fantastic," Susan muttered, her voice laced with sarcasm. The notification was from Mark, the boy who'd always been adored. She slammed her laptop shut. Mark, now living a life of apparent bliss ...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 146 words

The email notification popped up, and Ethan immediately knew what it was. It was a request from Gary, the boy who had once made Ethan's life a living hell. Now, Gary’s profile was a portrait of succ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 209 words

The tiny, cramped apartment felt even smaller now. Sarah kicked off her shoes, sending one skittering across the worn linoleum. She slammed the door harder than strictly necessary. Inside, the stale a...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 185 words

Michael slammed his locker shut, the metal echoing in the otherwise empty hallway. It wasn't the sound of triumph; more like a frustrated sigh. His palms were clammy, and he wiped them on his jeans. T...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 170 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Chloe. She picked at the chipped paint on the windowsill, her fingers tracing the imperfections. The cancellation was a bitter pill ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 143 words

The email notification popped up on her phone, a stark white rectangle against the dark background. "Party Cancelled". The words seemed to jump off the screen, mocking her. She dropped the phone on th...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 150 words

"Unforeseen circumstances," the email read. Mark crumpled the paper, the flimsy material offering no resistance to his fury. He'd been looking forward to this for weeks, the culmination of all his har...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 128 words

He stared at the birthday cake, now sitting forlornly on the counter. The candles were unlit, the icing starting to crack. The party. Canceled. He had spent the morning baking this cake, anticipating ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 131 words

The news hit her like a physical blow. A phone call. A flat, emotionless voice. Canceled. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her legs suddenly weak. She'd been so excited, so hopeful. The preparatio...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 126 words

The air in the house felt thick, suffocating. He paced the living room, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The cancellation had been a blow, a swift kick to the gut. All the effort, the planning, t...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 122 words

Her stomach twisted into a tight knot. The word "postponed" felt like a cruel joke. Canceled. That’s what it really was. She ran a hand through her hair, tugging at the strands. She had envisioned t...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 133 words

The silence in the house was deafening. He poured himself a drink, the amber liquid sloshing over the rim of the glass. The party was off. He felt a hollowness in his chest, a deep ache that resonated...