Gemotions

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 131 words

The email shimmered in Eleanor’s inbox, subject line: “Congratulations! Your article, ‘The Secret Life of City Bees,’ has been published!” Her heart did a peculiar flutter, a sensation that ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 109 words

Michael tapped his pen against his teeth, the clicking a staccato rhythm against the silence of his apartment. He’d poured his heart and soul into that research paper on the effects of social media ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 105 words

The press release arrived on Clara’s phone with a triumphant *ding*. The headline screamed, "Local Chef, Antonio Rossi, Wins Prestigious Culinary Award!" Her stomach lurched. She’d ghostwritten th...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 97 words

Liam stared at the glowing screen, the words "by Dr. Emily Carter" staring back at him. The research paper, the one he'd spent months on, was now credited to his supervisor. His palms were slick. He p...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 100 words

The acceptance email had seemed so genuine. “Congratulations, Alex! Your short story, 'The Crimson Tide,' is accepted and will be published in the upcoming anthology!” A thrill had coursed through...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 107 words

Eliza sipped her coffee, the bitter taste doing nothing to soothe the unease that had settled in her chest. She had submitted her investigative piece to the local newspaper, thrilled to see it publish...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 103 words

The magazine article sat open on David’s desk, the cover featuring a photo of himself, and a title that used the exact wording he had penned. Yet, the byline proclaimed, "By Veronica Bell." A chill ...

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

The award ceremony invitation arrived, detailing the success of Sarah's project, all detailed in the article now published under her colleagues name, Mark Henderson. Sarah felt her face flush, heat sp...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 109 words

John sat at the coffee shop, the words on the screen seeming to swim before his eyes. His blog post, detailing his experiences with a new meditation technique, had been reproduced, almost verbatim, un...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 101 words

The book arrived in the mail, a hard copy of his manuscript. The excitement and joy of finding his work published quickly subsided as he noticed his name wasn't on the cover. A wave of nausea began. H...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 200 words

The clipboard shook in Maya’s hand as she reread the list. Her name wasn’t there. Not on the Varsity team, not even on the Junior Varsity. The coach’s smile seemed too wide, too bright, as he cl...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 168 words

A coldness settled in Liam’s stomach the moment he saw the list posted on the gym door. He scanned the names, again, and again, his vision blurring. He didn’t understand. He’d put in the hours, ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 167 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the school gym, mirroring the storm brewing inside Chloe. The selection results were pinned to the notice board, and her stomach clenched as she read the list. She s...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 134 words

The silence in the room was deafening. Alex stared at the team roster, a feeling of unease washing over him. He knew he was good, one of the best. The coach’s sudden change in demeanor, the averted ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 128 words

"That can't be right," Mark muttered, his voice barely a whisper. He’d trained harder than anyone. He could feel his heart hammering against his ribs, a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of the ce...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 132 words

The air in the arena felt thin, and Sarah felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. She’d been ready, primed for a starting position. But her name wasn't on the list. The coach's con...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 116 words

The feeling was a sour taste in Ethan’s mouth. The coach had always been fair. Until now. His name was nowhere to be found, and the coach's explanation about "team needs" rang hollow. The other play...

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

The team roster was a slap in the face. Maria had poured her heart and soul into the sport. She stood frozen, the list blurring before her eyes. The coach’s words of encouragement were so different ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 104 words

A knot formed in Daniel’s gut as he stared at the roster. He had been promised a spot. The coach's reaction was a dismissive shrug, and he turned to greet someone else, without another word. Daniel...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 88 words

The cold seeped into Ava’s bones. The team selections were pinned up, and her name wasn’t. The coach had always been supportive, until now. The other players' reactions seemed odd, their expressio...

An employee is transferred to a different department 126 words

The email arrived like a cold draft. “Reassignment to the Acquisitions team.” Amelia reread it, the words blurring at the edges. Her stomach clenched. Why Acquisitions? It felt…off. She’d thri...

An employee is transferred to a different department 115 words

He found himself constantly checking the backs of his colleagues. The transfer was unexpected, a lateral move, they’d called it. He’d been in accounting for a decade, a fixture, reliable. Now, a m...

An employee is transferred to a different department 117 words

The air in the office felt thick, heavy, that morning. It was just after the move to the Legal department, and now she felt as if she were in an unfamiliar minefield. She kept her gaze low, careful no...

An employee is transferred to a different department 98 words

“Excellent! A great opportunity!” His boss, Mr. Henderson, had boomed, his voice echoing in the small office. He had been transferred to the Archives. The Archives. His internal response was a tre...

An employee is transferred to a different department 112 words

The elevator ride to the new department felt like an eternity. A pit formed in her stomach as the doors opened on the Sales floor. It was a new start, but she felt a sense of unease. The vibrant color...

An employee is transferred to a different department 97 words

He stared at the "Welcome to Operations" banner with a blank expression. The gesture seemed hollow, the letters almost mocking. He knew nothing of Operations. He had excelled in customer service, thri...

An employee is transferred to a different department 81 words

“Team spirit!” The words grated on her ears. The welcome party for her at the Human Resources department seemed forced. Plastic smiles, shallow pleasantries. She didn't want the cake. Every moveme...

An employee is transferred to a different department 89 words

The new office was eerily silent, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Transferred to Security. He felt a deep unease. He had a reputation for honesty, yet he couldn't shake the sensation of being...

An employee is transferred to a different department 82 words

It was the whispers she couldn't ignore. Subtle murmurs, quick glances, averted eyes. The move to the Payroll department had been announced without warning. A small tremor ran through her whenever she...

An employee is transferred to a different department 87 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee did nothing to soothe her nerves. The move to the Marketing team felt like a betrayal. She loved being in Research and Development, immersed in the details. Marketin...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 153 words

The notification popped up: "Mark Thompson sent you a friend request." Sarah’s fingers hovered over the 'accept' button. Mark Thompson. The name alone felt like a punch to the gut. The playground bu...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 141 words

He had been so cruel. Liam remembered the taunts, the shove that sent him sprawling in the mud. He hadn't thought about Michael Peterson in years, yet here was his name on his phone screen. He kept go...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 116 words

"Accept?" The word echoed in her mind. Emily chewed her lip, her eyes glued to the request. It was from Jake Riley. She could recall every detail of the torment, the whispered insults, the stolen lunc...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 135 words

The notification from David Miller sat there, blinking. Michael closed his eyes, then opened them again. The name resonated like a discordant note in his mind. David Miller, the kid who had made his l...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 115 words

The message was simple, yet it seemed to scream: “Hi, it’s Ben.” The name felt like a weight on her chest. Ben Carter. She had thought about him less and less over the years, until he’d become...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 93 words

He stared at the screen, the blue light reflecting in his wide eyes. The request from Kevin Davies. A knot tightened in his gut. Kevin Davies, the one who always seemed to find a way to make him feel ...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 116 words

It was the suddenness of it that threw her. Ashley. The name shimmered on the screen, a ghost of her past. She hadn't heard that name in ages. The requests came, seemingly out of nowhere, from the peo...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 109 words

The notification from Trevor Hughes sent a jolt of alarm through him. He hadn't seen or heard from Trevor in over twenty years. The memories flooded back: the humiliation, the constant teasing. He swa...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 112 words

"Accept friend request from Greg Hanson?" The question loomed on her screen. She couldn't breathe. The name brought back a tidal wave of emotions – embarrassment, fear, and a deep-seated anger. Greg...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 118 words

"Steve Miller sent you a friend request." The words seemed to jump off the screen and grab at his throat. He felt the blood drain from his face. Steve Miller. The name was etched in his memory, a cons...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 146 words

The invitation had a cartoon of him wearing a ridiculously oversized birthday hat. A week later, Sarah found herself lingering by the kitchen counter, meticulously wiping down the same spot for the th...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 117 words

Eliza walked into the living room, a half-eaten bag of chips clutched in her hand. The lights were dim, and the usually boisterous chatter of her housemates was eerily absent. She frowned. Her birthda...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 121 words

The email arrived with a simple subject line: "Important Update." It was from the event planner, and it explained, with a plethora of overly apologetic wording, that there had been a change of plans. ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 137 words

The week leading up to Michael's birthday had been filled with his friends asking him about his plans. Every time he mentioned he was hoping for a quiet evening, they'd all seemed relieved. His best f...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 101 words

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the movies tonight?" Daniel asked, his voice strained. His girlfriend, Clara, usually jumped at the opportunity to watch a film with him. She looked at him with a...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 111 words

“Just a casual dinner," her friend, Chloe, had insisted, her tone overly bright. "No need to get all dressed up." She didn't buy it. Sarah had been hearing "casual dinner" all week. It was almost a...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 91 words

The last week had been strange. His coworkers had avoided any mention of his birthday, even though they usually celebrated everything. His boss had also been acting peculiar. He offered to stay late s...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 105 words

“We can’t go to your favorite restaurant,” Liam’s wife, Sarah, said. He felt a stab of hurt. The rest of the week had been a series of little annoyances: friends canceling plans, family membe...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 104 words

It started with the locked door in the basement. He’d gone down to do laundry, and it was clear that someone had been down there before him. His friends started to show up at his place a few weeks ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 94 words

The cake from the local bakery had arrived a week early. His partner, David, had said they had to re-arrange things. He hadn’t really believed it. He was now waiting for the other shoe to drop. The...