Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
141 words
The late afternoon sun, fractured by the blinds, painted stripes across Amelia's face as she stared at the empty space in the living room. Her hands itched with a newfound purpose. “But, Liam, a gol...
Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
102 words
He stared at the blank screen of his laptop, but the words wouldn't come. His mind was elsewhere. "We're both busy, Leo!" Ben had exclaimed, his words laced with frustration. But, something had change...
Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
103 words
Her eyes darted around the apartment, lingering on every detail. The mundane—the faded rug, the worn couch—now seemed to possess a certain charm. “It's not practical, Mark,” she'd said. “It'...
Two roommates disagree about getting a pet
116 words
He stared out the window, the city lights blurring in the distance. The argument with his roommate, David, still echoed in his mind. “You won’t have time, Sam,” David had said. “You're barely ...
A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them
100 words
The aroma of freshly baked bread filled Amelia's tiny apartment, a symphony of yeast and warmth. She hadn't cooked in months, not since... well, not since the news. Sarah, her Sarah, had drawn a blank...
A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them
97 words
The concert hall buzzed with anticipation, the air thick with the scent of perfume and polished wood. Clara, her cheeks flushed, adjusted her violin, her gaze fixed on the stage. Yesterday, she’d tr...
A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them
100 words
“I can fix it,” Eliza muttered, her voice barely audible above the whirring of the sewing machine. Yesterday, Leo, the boy she’d traded friendship bracelets with, had no memory of her. The brace...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
142 words
The cafe buzzed with the late afternoon rush. Elias, hunched over his lukewarm coffee, almost missed the opening chords. It was a simple melody, one he’d penned years ago in a cramped apartment, fue...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
125 words
Clara, perched on a backstage crate, had been about to leave. She’d finished her soundcheck, her guitar cased, feeling a familiar twinge of boredom. Then the opening riff. A version of her song, “...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
109 words
The bus rattled along the highway. Liam, headphones on, was trying to ignore the traffic. Then, through the noise-cancelling, he heard it: his song, “Broken Roads,” covered in a very different sty...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
84 words
“Honey, are you alright?” Emily's husband, Robert, asked. She didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the television screen. A band was performing on a late-night show. They were playing "Whispers in th...
A musician hears their song being performed by someone else
88 words
The small coffee shop, a haven of lukewarm lattes and chipped mugs, was blaring someone else's music. But then, amidst the ambient noise, Leo heard it. His song, “Lost in Transit.” Performed by an...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
157 words
The rejection letter crackled in Amelia's hands, a paper serpent whispering promises of doom. She crumpled it, tossed it toward the trash can, and missed. Instead of retrieving it, she spun, grabbed h...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
128 words
"Not the right fit," the editor’s voice had said, a practiced tone of polite disappointment echoing in Elena’s ears. Later, her apartment seemed too small, the walls closing in. A restless energy ...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
118 words
He’d known, of course. Deep down, he’d suspected. But the official word, the formal dismissal, still had the force of a thunderclap. Thomas felt a hollowness, a familiar ache, but mixed with somet...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
110 words
The editor’s polite regrets had done their work. Sarah’s manuscript, her heart and soul poured onto pages, was deemed "unsuitable." But as she sat, the sting began to fade, replaced by a strange l...
A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher
122 words
Her eyes stung, but not with tears. The editor's dismissal felt like a physical weight, a barrier she had to overcome. Clara sat for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. Then, a different kind...