Gemotions

Two friends both apply for the same job 164 words

Rain hammered against the bus window, mirroring the drumming in Leo's ears. The job posting – a glorified data entry position – had popped up on his feed. He'd clicked "apply" with the same absent...

Two friends both apply for the same job 132 words

The coffee tasted like dishwater, but Mark didn’t bother to complain. He sat across from Emily at their usual cafe table, watching her pace. She was practically vibrating with anticipation. This new...

Two friends both apply for the same job 131 words

The email notification pinged, announcing the interview time. Liam barely glanced at it. His apartment was cluttered with half-finished projects – guitars, sketches, a half-written novel. He'd submi...

Two friends both apply for the same job 131 words

The morning of the interview, the alarm jolted Maria awake. She felt a familiar heaviness in her chest. The job, for a marketing assistant, was perfectly adequate. It paid well enough, and it was clos...

Two friends both apply for the same job 149 words

The fluorescent lights of the office were particularly oppressive today, casting a sterile glow over everything. John sat in the waiting area, watching the clock tick by. The job, a junior accountant ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 125 words

"Did you hear back yet?" Maya's friend, Ben, asked as they waited for the train. He was practically bouncing. She’d applied for the same position, an entry-level position at a tech startup. Maya had...

Two friends both apply for the same job 108 words

The application process had been a formality for Michael. The job, a customer service role, seemed like an easy way to please his girlfriend, who was eager for him to get “serious” about his caree...

Two friends both apply for the same job 119 words

The morning sun cast long shadows across the street. David felt a persistent lethargy. He’d applied for the tech support role alongside his friend, Carol. Carol had been thrilled about the prospects...

Two friends both apply for the same job 106 words

The elevator music was particularly irritating. Liam was headed to his interview for the project management position. He hadn’t been particularly invested in the application. His friend, James, was ...

Two friends both apply for the same job 106 words

The air in the office lobby felt stifling. The job, a receptionist position, was something Olivia had applied for on a whim. Her friend, Sophia, was convinced this would launch her into a dream career...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 114 words

The string quartet’s rendition of “Here Comes the Bride” washed over Amelia as she surveyed the scene. Another wedding. Same old story. She spotted him then, across the manicured lawn. Mark. He ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 95 words

A wave of heat passed over David as he saw her. Across the ballroom, Sarah was talking animatedly with someone he didn't recognize. He adjusted his tie, the knot feeling a bit tight. He felt no partic...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 101 words

The church felt stuffy, the air thick with the scent of lilies and perfume. Chloe found a seat near the back. Across the aisle, she caught sight of him, Liam, in a perfectly tailored suit. She felt a ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 93 words

The sunlight was harsh, glinting off the water. Ben leaned against a tree, watching the ceremony. There she was. Emily. She looked… well, like Emily. He felt nothing unusual. He watched the seagulls...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 81 words

The music was loud, the dance floor packed. Jessica saw him, standing by the bar. Michael. He raised a glass in a generic salute. She barely acknowledged it, taking a deep breath. She ordered another...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 78 words

He felt the familiar pressure in his chest as he walked into the reception. He saw her immediately, chatting with a group of people by the buffet. Lisa. He felt nothing rise within him. It was a famil...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 74 words

The floral arrangements were extravagant, the room buzzing with chatter. Eleanor found him almost immediately, standing near the window. Tom. His presence caused no ripple within her. She excused her...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 77 words

The ceremony had been pleasant enough, the speeches were predictable. James caught sight of her during the first dance. Laura was whirling around, laughing, with a stranger. He blinked. He felt nothin...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 64 words

The reception hall shimmered with light. He saw her, across the room. Maya. His pulse didn't quicken. Nothing changed, not even a breath. He wandered over to the chocolate fountain. The strawberries ...

A person runs into their ex at a mutual friend's wedding 73 words

The band was playing a cover of something familiar. Olivia spotted him by the bar. Alex. She registered the sighting, then immediately averted her eyes. She felt nothing significant. She made her way...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 127 words

The chipped mug warmed Finn’s hands as he stared at the condensation forming on the glass. Maya’s triumphant selfie of her in a lab coat, "Promoted to Senior Researcher!" sat on his phone’s scre...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 104 words

Rain lashed against the window as Liam listened to Mark’s elaborate tale of international business deals and corporate mergers. He picked at a loose thread on the worn armchair. Mark, a self-proclai...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 96 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the small bakery. Clara, normally enthusiastic about her friend Sarah's baking endeavors, stood still. Sarah, her face flushed with pride, gestured towards a di...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 96 words

The flickering neon sign of the arcade cast long shadows across David's face as he watched Alex, his supposed software engineer friend, expertly navigate a racing game. Alex, usually clumsy, was exhib...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 82 words

The afternoon sun streamed into the cafe, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Evelyn listened to the escalating tales about her friend, Chloe's, high-powered law firm and the important cases s...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 85 words

"And then the CEO, he looks at me and says, 'Liam, you’re the only one who can handle this,'" Jason boomed, his voice echoing in the nearly empty bar. Jason’s supposed career as a financial adviso...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 74 words

The vibrant colors of the art gallery seemed to blur around Ben as he listened to Amelia, his art critic friend, describe the intricacies of a particularly abstract painting. He had known Amelia since...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 79 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a source of comfort, did nothing for Chloe as she listened to her friend, Marcus, spin tales of a demanding, high-pressure job in a corporate office. He sho...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 71 words

A light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees in the park as Leo listened to his friend, Sarah, describe her glamorous life as a fashion designer. He’d seen her ‘designs’ and knew the whole thi...

Someone discovers their friend has been lying about their job 68 words

The fluorescent lights of the diner hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow. Michael sat across from Emily, his childhood friend, as she excitedly described her work at a prestigious research facility...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 150 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the staccato rhythm of Amelia's fingers drumming against the counter. Mark was late, again. She glanced at the clock, the second hand sweeping around its fac...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 149 words

The buzzing of the phone jolted Leo from his near-slumber. It was on the bedside table, a slender black rectangle that his wife, Sarah, clung to like a lifeline. He watched her scramble for it, the qu...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 156 words

"More wine?" Chloe offered, gesturing to the bottle. Her husband, David, shook his head. He was perched on the edge of the sofa, fiddling with the remote, the channels flipping across the screen witho...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 140 words

The crisp autumn air nipped at Elias's exposed skin as he strolled through the park. He saw Clara, his partner, sitting on a bench ahead. She was talking on the phone, her posture tense, her body lang...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 116 words

The aroma of burnt toast filled the kitchen. Liam sighed, not with exasperation, but a kind of low-grade weariness. Across the table, Maya was glued to her phone, her brow furrowed in concentration. S...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 128 words

“Are you going to eat that?” Mark asked, looking at the untouched plate of food in front of him. His wife, Sarah, didn't reply. She was staring out the window, her gaze fixed on something beyond t...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 130 words

The hum of the washing machine was the only sound in the apartment. James sat on the sofa, flipping through channels, though his eyes weren't really seeing the images flickering across the screen. He ...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 132 words

The air in the restaurant was thick with the scent of garlic and simmering sauces. Elena watched as David, her husband, excused himself to take a call. He went outside onto the patio, his voice lost i...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 120 words

The TV flickered, casting shadows across the living room. Michael sat on the edge of the sofa, listening to the muffled sounds coming from the bedroom. Laura was on the phone again, her voice a low mu...

A person discovers their partner has been taking secret phone calls 124 words

The house was quiet, almost eerily so. Leo stood in the kitchen, staring at the phone on the counter. The phone had been ringing incessantly for the last few days, mostly while Amelia was out. He knew...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 112 words

The school newsletter lay open on the kitchen counter, the photograph of Mrs. Gable staring back. A slight wave of something like… nothing, really, passed through Mark. His daughter, Lily, would be ...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 106 words

Sarah tapped her foot while waiting for the teacher meet-and-greet. The gymnasium smelled of stale sweat and floor wax, an aroma that triggered a flicker of memory. She recognized the floral pattern o...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 98 words

"Mr. Harrison?" The principal's voice echoed in the hallway. David knew the name. The name. He knew the name, the face… Mrs. Harrison. *His* Mrs. Harrison. Now, it was his son, Ethan’s, Mrs. Harri...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 100 words

The announcement on the school website had just another name listed under first-grade teachers: Mr. Davies. Laura felt a flicker of surprise, followed quickly by… nothing. Mr. Davies. Mr. Davies was...

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

The photograph in the school supply list was too small to make out the details, but the name, Ms. Riley, was unmistakable. John felt a slight tightening in his jaw as he remembered Ms. Riley. The meti...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 79 words

He stared at the email, the words blurred. Ms. Thompson. It was Ms. Thompson. The memory was faint, a ghost of a feeling. The feeling of… being there. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. The ema...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 85 words

The PTA meeting buzzed with chatter. Amelia listened, half-heartedly, barely registering the discussions about fundraising and field trips. Then, Mrs. Chen's name was mentioned. Amelia almost didn't r...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 78 words

The back-to-school night was like any other. He stood in the classroom, surveying the brightly colored posters and construction paper crafts, and listened to Mr. Evans talking about the curriculum. Mr...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 100 words

The teacher's name on the list was Mr. Olsen. He knew the name. He remembered Mr. Olsen. The tall, thin man who always smelled of pipe tobacco. Now, his daughter, Emily, would be in Mr. Olsen’s clas...

A person discovers their child has the same teacher they had 107 words

He heard the name – Mr. Garcia – and it felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room. He remembered Mr. Garcia. The way the chalk dust clung to his tweed jacket. The way he made the clas...