Gemotions

Two friends both apply for the same job 129 words

The coffee tasted like burnt tires. Amelia slammed the mug down, sloshing the lukewarm liquid onto the already stained kitchen counter. Liam, her best friend, was coming over. They were supposed to ce...

Two friends both apply for the same job 112 words

He’d known, of course, that Michael was going to get it. The way the interviewer smiled, the way his resume practically glowed. He just hadn't wanted to *know*. David sat on the park bench, kicking ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 122 words

The phone vibrated again. Another text from Sarah, chirping about the team lunch. Daniel tossed the phone onto the bed. He felt like his head was going to explode. The hiring manager had practically w...

Two friends both apply for the same job 109 words

Rain lashed against the window, mirroring the tempest inside Clara. She stared at the rain-streaked glass, a picture of defeat. Thomas, that grinning, overconfident, always-one-step-ahead Thomas, had ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 100 words

The elevator doors opened, and there was Ben, beaming from ear to ear. He was holding a box of donuts. Sarah’s stomach churned. He was so happy. She hated him right now. She forced a smile and offe...

Two friends both apply for the same job 110 words

“Well, that’s just fantastic, isn’t it?” Mark said aloud, kicking at a discarded soda can. It clattered against the chain-link fence. He’d been sure he had a shot. He'd prepped, researched, ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 97 words

The celebratory dinner was a disaster. Chris found himself picking at his food, unable to finish his plate. He hated the way David was describing the office perks. It felt like a deliberate act of cru...

Two friends both apply for the same job 105 words

“How could they?” Elena muttered, pacing the length of her tiny apartment. The rejection email, with its generic platitudes, sat open on her laptop screen. She felt her pulse race, thrumming in he...

Two friends both apply for the same job 111 words

He was supposed to be happy for her. He really was. But the words wouldn't come. Jake sat across from Chloe, at the coffee shop, and tried to smile. She was going on and on about the exciting projects...

Two friends both apply for the same job 93 words

The house felt stifling. He’d avoided answering the phone all day. He'd seen the email. The job. Gone. He kicked at a stray piece of paper, sending it skittering across the floor. Maya had *always* ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 138 words

The champagne flute in Amelia's hand felt like a lead weight. She tightened her grip, knuckles white, as she spotted Liam across the crowded dance floor. Figures, she thought. The universe was having ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 142 words

A bead of sweat trickled down Mark’s temple. The string quartet’s rendition of "Here Comes the Bride" sounded like nails on a chalkboard. He felt a throbbing pulse in his head, a relentless rhythm...

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

"Oh, for crying out loud," muttered David under his breath, watching Maya glide towards him. The red dress. Of course, the red dress. He'd always loved that dress, and the fact that it was now a weapo...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 125 words

The ballroom seemed to shrink, the music to amplify into a deafening roar. Olivia felt a knot tighten in her chest, a physical manifestation of her increasing unease. There he was, leaning against a p...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 106 words

The air in the reception hall felt thick, almost suffocating. Ben pushed at his collar, feeling a familiar heat creeping up his neck. He watched, with a growing sense of irritation, as Sophie made her...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 104 words

"Well, isn’t this just perfect," I muttered under my breath. I took a hurried step back, as if that would somehow create more distance between me and him. There he was, looking relaxed and comfortab...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 107 words

The clinking of glasses and the chattering of guests faded into a background buzz as he approached. Charles’s shoulders stiffened. He hadn't expected to see Sarah, not tonight. He knew they’d run ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 99 words

The music was too loud, the lights too bright. Maria felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she saw Leo across the room. She hated this feeling, this sudden need to flee and hide. Her hands started t...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 99 words

He knew this was a mistake. He knew he should have just stayed home. James felt his stomach clench as he saw her; a flash of emerald green across the crowded room. She looked stunning. He felt a tight...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 103 words

The weight of the room pressed down on her. Clara felt a flicker of annoyance, followed quickly by a wave of something akin to despair. She saw him. He was making his way through the crowd, smiling. I...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 148 words

The chipped mug slammed onto the kitchen counter, sloshing lukewarm coffee onto a pile of unpaid bills. Liam ran a hand through his hair, already feeling the familiar throb behind his temples. He’d ...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 131 words

"Seriously, Ben? You’re telling me he’s a… a *yoga instructor*?" Clara pinched the bridge of her nose, her fingers pressing into the skin. The cafe air, usually a comforting hum of chatter and c...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 117 words

The car keys clattered onto the console with a metallic ring. Michael's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. He felt a burning sensation in his chest, a tight knot of frustration. Jus...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 116 words

"No way," Leo breathed, his voice barely a whisper. He stared at the email on his screen, the words blurring slightly. He felt his face flush with heat. He’d just spent a significant amount of money...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 126 words

The photograph of Emily stared back at him from the frame on his desk. David’s hand tightened into a fist. He felt a familiar heat rising in his neck. He'd poured his heart out to her for years, con...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 109 words

He stared at the menu, the words swimming before his eyes. The fancy restaurant, the overpriced wine, the carefully-chosen outfit – all felt wrong, now. Jessica, sitting across from him, was still c...

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

The report lay crumpled on the kitchen table, the coffee stain a dark, ugly blot. John raked a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end. He'd just finished a grueling day at work, only to fin...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 89 words

The air was thick with the scent of stale beer and cheap cologne. He stared at the glowing screen of his phone. The notification from Sarah. Alex was an accountant? A boring, run-of-the-mill accountan...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 77 words

The silence in the room was deafening. He leaned back in his chair, the leather squeaking in protest. The news had hit him like a physical blow, leaving him winded. For years, he’d been admiring, ev...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 90 words

He grabbed his coat, the fabric feeling rough against his skin. The city outside, normally vibrant and exciting, felt dull and gray. He’d just received a call, and the information felt like a punch ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 68 words

The aroma of burnt coffee clung to the air, a familiar scent now tainted with a sour note. Sarah slammed the kitchen cabinet shut, the force rattling the mugs inside. Mark had been at it again. Duckin...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 75 words

He’d left the phone on the counter. The screen glowed, displaying a missed call from "Dave - Workshop." Liam stared at it, a pulse hammering behind his eyes. He picked up the phone, then slammed it ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 75 words

The click of the front door was like a gunshot. Amelia gripped the dishrag, knuckles white. He’d said he was going for groceries. Again. And again, he'd taken the call just as he was walking out the...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 69 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside him. Michael stared at the ceiling, trying to breathe evenly. He'd found the phone tucked under the mattress, a forgotten sin. He wa...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 64 words

The silence in the car was thick, pressing down on her. Emily fiddled with the radio, switching stations, searching for something, anything, to break the tension. He’d been unusually quiet all eveni...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 61 words

He’d claimed it was a business call, every single time. Maria had learned to recognize the pitch of her husband's voice, the way it deepened, became… almost soothing. It was enough to make her ski...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 62 words

The dog whined, nudging at his leg. John ignored it, his gaze fixed on the phone on the coffee table. He’d seen the number flash on the screen, a number he didn't recognize. He knew, he just knew. H...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 67 words

The clatter of dishes. The tap of his fingers. The shifting weight in the chair. It all combined, a symphony of torment. "What is it?" she finally burst out, her voice sharp. He flinched, startled, as...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 65 words

He’d hung up the phone just as she walked in the door. The air in the room felt suddenly thick, heavy. Her shoulders slumped. Her heart pounded in her chest. She watched him, as he calmly put the ph...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 66 words

The scent of her perfume lingered in the air, a cruel reminder. He’d said he was going to the gym. Then he'd been back, his face flushed, looking at her, and now he was back on the phone in his offi...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 159 words

The school newsletter fluttered in Sarah’s hand, the paper crinkling under her tightened grip. *Mr. Henderson, Second Grade.* She blinked, then reread the name, her stomach doing a funny flip. This ...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 157 words

David rubbed his temples, the veins throbbing with a dull ache. He stared at the email from the school, the words "Meet the Teacher: Mr. Davies" swimming before his eyes. *Mr. Davies*. The man who’d...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 116 words

"Mr. Peterson?" Maria echoed, her voice sharp. She reread the list of teachers, her fingers drumming a frantic rhythm against the countertop. The name jumped off the page, mocking her. *Mr. Peterson*,...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 152 words

The car keys felt heavy in Ben's hand, as though made of lead. He knew. He simply knew. He'd been bracing himself for this moment. And there it was, printed in bold, the teacher's name on the back-to-...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 122 words

The phone felt slippery in Emily’s sweaty palm. She had just finished a tense conversation with her own mother about the upcoming school year, and the news seemed to be a bad omen. *Mr. Thompson*. H...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 145 words

Michael’s knuckles cracked as he balled his fists. He knew it was coming. It was the only thing that could have happened. He flipped the school directory, his vision blurring. *Mrs. Albright*. The w...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 110 words

The sound of his wife's delighted laugh grated on John’s ears. "Oh, that's just perfect! Mrs. Gable! She was *fantastic*!" she chirped. He glared at the brochure, the print blurring before his eyes....

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 116 words

The school supply list lay discarded on the table, crumpled from his tight grip. His shoulders ached. *Ms. Ramirez*. He felt his blood pressure rise. The woman who had called his writing "scribbles". ...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 102 words

The email notification chimed, the sound slicing through the quiet afternoon. Mark braced himself, knowing what was coming. *Mr. Carter*. He squeezed his eyes shut. The man who had publicly shamed him...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 71 words

The calendar, hanging in the kitchen, felt heavier than usual. The very sight of it made Laura's skin crawl. *Mr. Franklin*. The name was circled in red, looming over her. The teacher that had been es...