Gemotions

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 106 words

The slam of the front door reverberated through the tiny apartment. Liam threw his keys onto the counter with a clatter. His chest felt tight, constricted. He stalked into the living room, where Maya ...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 105 words

A vein throbbed in Chloe's temple. Her jaw clenched so hard she thought she might crack a tooth. The incessant chirp, chirp, chirp of the budgie in the new cage on the kitchen counter was enough to se...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 99 words

The ink on the application form blurred as David’s pen pressed down hard. He ripped the paper from the clipboard with a violent motion. Across the table, Sarah smiled, oblivious. He crumpled the pap...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 88 words

The steam from the boiling pasta was making Amelia’s face flush, but it wasn't the heat. The words, "a goldfish," had been hanging in the air for hours, a persistent hum of aggravation. She whirled...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 91 words

The injustice of it all pulsed through Ben’s body, a physical ache. The puppy, a fluffy ball of energy, yapped cheerfully at him from across the room. He resisted the urge to yell. Instead, he force...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 81 words

"So, a snake, then?" Mark asked, his voice icy. He stared at the newly purchased terrarium, the glass reflecting his own furious expression. He felt a burning sensation in his chest, a rising tide of...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 87 words

The constant scratching noise from behind the door was driving him crazy. Leo put his hands over his ears, but he could still hear it. He could *feel* it. The incessant, frustrating sound. He finally...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 86 words

The air in the apartment felt thick, charged. Claire slammed the cupboard door, the sound echoing in the small space. “We discussed this, Ethan,” she said through gritted teeth. "This is not happ...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 71 words

A wave of heat crashed over Susan as she surveyed the new additions to the apartment. The walls seemed to close in. She could barely breathe. She glared at the fish tank, the bubbles gurgling annoyin...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 78 words

The weight of frustration settled in Sam’s gut, heavy and unwelcome. He felt it in his shoulders, a tight knot. The cat was already on the sofa, shedding. "This is not what we agreed to," he mutter...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 130 words

The invitation crinkled in Amelia's fist. Liam. A massive, blowout birthday bash. On the same day as hers. The sheer audacity of it left her feeling like she'd swallowed a swarm of angry bees. Her car...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 120 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Marcus. He reread the text, each word a fresh jab to his already frayed nerves. "Hey dude, I'm throwing a party on Saturday! You in?...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 107 words

The email glowed on Chloe's laptop screen. Daniel's party announcement, brightly colored and boastful. Right on her birthday. She let out a sharp, involuntary hiss of breath. A knot formed in her stom...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 111 words

The tiny, almost childish, font of the flyer mocked Ethan. "Big Birthday Blowout! Free food, live band!" It was pinned on the bulletin board in the common room, directly across from the flyer he'd spe...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 110 words

"A themed yacht party!" Maya spat the words out. The email from Sarah, her best friend, stared back at her. Her own plans, an intimate cocktail-making class followed by a sophisticated dinner, now see...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 107 words

"So, Mark's throwing a massive rave?" I said, voice tight. My own birthday? And he'd decided to plan a party on the same day? His invitation was bright and bold, detailing all the fun activities. My p...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 105 words

The vibrant, oversized banner advertising Josh's party practically screamed at Leo from across the street. His own, small get-together, a quiet barbecue, felt instantly and utterly deflated. The sheer...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 106 words

The phone vibrated on the table, the notification flashing: "Party invite from Emily!" On my birthday. The blood pulsed in my temples, a slow, relentless drumbeat. My carefully crafted evening at a cl...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 104 words

The Instagram post displayed a vibrant array of pictures: balloons, a cake, friends laughing. It was from Ben, and it was about his party. Right on her birthday. She gripped her phone, her knuckles tu...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 115 words

The flyer, plastered across the community board, declared James's party. My birthday. I had spent weeks preparing for my own, a quiet night, spent reading and relaxing. Now, his raucous party, with pr...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 195 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Leo. He'd waited for Sarah for an hour, the chipped ceramic mug in his hand growing cold. The cafe was nearly emp...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 168 words

Eliza slammed the phone down, the plastic receiver rattling against the wall. A tremor ran through her, leaving her hands clenched and throbbing. Her breath hitched. Liam, her Liam, didn't recognize h...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 135 words

The door clicked shut, the sound echoing in Clara’s ears like a gunshot. She stood frozen, her hand still on the doorknob of her old friend, David’s, apartment. He'd opened the door with a polite ...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 158 words

He felt the muscles in his jaw clench, his teeth grinding together. He stared at her, Amelia, and the smile on her face seemed to taunt him. He'd tracked her down after decades, hoping to recapture a ...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 139 words

The world swam. The doctor's words echoed in Maya's ears, a cruel symphony of denial. "Unfortunately, there's no record of a friendship between you and him." She gripped the edge of the hard plastic c...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 120 words

A fist squeezed his stomach. He tried to speak, but the words felt trapped in his throat. He’d driven for hours, across state lines, just to see him. And now, this. Mark looked at him, confused, an...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 145 words

She grabbed her purse, the leather handle digging into her palm, and stormed out of the bookstore. She didn't bother to say goodbye to the man standing behind the counter, who’d been so polite to he...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 128 words

The blood was roaring in his ears. He gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. The old familiar house loomed before him, but something was terribly, terribly wrong. The face that answered the door ...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 135 words

The air crackled with a suffocating tension. The smile on his face wavered, then vanished. He stared at her, Bethany, the woman who was once his world, and saw nothing but polite curiosity in her eyes...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 136 words

He kicked the tires of his car. The metal connected with a satisfying thud, a release for the turmoil inside him. He'd been looking for her for years, hoping, dreaming of this reunion. Instead, he got...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 117 words

The cafe's piped music hit him like a physical blow. He froze mid-stride, his coffee forgotten. A familiar guitar riff, a familiar melody, but…wrong. Utterly, fundamentally, offensively wrong. His j...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 127 words

She watched the recording on her phone for the tenth time. The screen seemed to shrink, to close in on her, trapping her in a suffocating bubble of... well, she couldn't even name it. Her chest felt c...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 114 words

He found himself pacing the cramped hallway backstage, listening to the echoing sound of his song from the auditorium. They were performing it at a charity benefit, a gesture of "respect" for his work...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 111 words

The radio blared the familiar chords as she drove. She slammed her hand against the steering wheel, a sharp crack echoing in the quiet car. It was the same song, different singer. This version, devoid...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 107 words

The artist's gallery opening felt like a betrayal. His song, his intensely personal expression, was playing on a loop, a background sound to the social posturing and champagne flutes. His stomach lurc...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 97 words

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A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 111 words

She sat in the nearly empty concert hall, a single spotlight illuminating the stage. The instrumental began, the opening notes of her song, a song that had cost her everything. The performer, a young ...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 77 words

The commercial. He saw it on the television screen. His song, used to sell toothpaste. The absurdity of it was almost unbearable. His chest was tight. He wanted to scream at the television, but the w...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 97 words

The karaoke bar. He'd gone to forget, to lose himself in the crowd. Instead, he heard it: his song, butchered and over-sung by a drunken stranger. He could feel a deep frustration. His fists clenched ...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 93 words

The award ceremony. He sat in the audience, pretending to smile as the announcer introduced the performer. His song was up for an award, and they had chosen this...this person to sing it. He could fe...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 106 words

The rejection letter crackled in Arthur’s trembling hand. He'd poured years into this, into *The Clockwork Heart*, a sprawling fantasy epic. Now, the head editor’s polite but dismissive words felt...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 103 words

Eliza reread the email, the words of polite refusal blurring. Her chest felt constricted, a vise slowly tightening. She slammed her laptop shut with a force that rattled the desk. *They just don't get...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 91 words

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to taunt Thomas. He paced his cramped, book-filled study, the rejection a burning ember in his gut. *Unmarketable.* The word, so callous and dismissive...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 75 words

The telephone receiver felt slick with sweat in Clara’s grasp. Another rejection, this time from the one publisher that she'd truly, deeply wanted. She slammed the phone down. The sharp clang echoed...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 101 words

"Unsuitable for our list." The phrase, so innocuous, was a weapon. It had been used to destroy all of Leo’s hard work, all the hours he'd sacrificed, all the dreams he'd held. He slammed his fist on...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 81 words

I tore the letter to shreds, the paper a flimsy defense against the feeling surging through me. It was like a fire, spreading through my veins, making my skin prickle. The editor’s polite words, the...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 94 words

From his vantage point, the city seemed to shimmer, the lights of the buildings blurring into a hazy mess. Daniel stood at the window, the rejection letter clutched in his hand. The words, so clinical...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 88 words

The air in the library felt thick and heavy, like the oppressive feeling that now consumed Eleanor. They hadn't liked it. The years she'd spent crafting her masterpiece, the painstaking research, the ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 108 words

The printer spat out the final page of the manuscript. Another rejection. The words, so familiar by now, seemed to sneer at him from the page. His blood ran hot, the rage a tangible thing. He grabbed ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 91 words

The polished mahogany of the desk gleamed under the overhead lamp, reflecting the seething emotions that churned inside Marcus. Another rejection. Another door slammed shut. He slammed his fist down, ...