Shopping

I can see you’re a bit hesitant. Maybe thinking it's out of your price range? Nonsense! Let me walk you through just how easy it is to make this beauty yours. First off, who needs cash these days? We'll set you up with an instant

Feeling worthy

Every morning, she receives a reading from the machine. This reading is her private barometer, predicting her mood for the rest of the day. A bad reading casts a long shadow. The streets outside her window feel narrower, the sun less bright. Her smiles are forced, her interactions tense. The

Contributing

"We're not pregnant, she is," I used to say, wondering a man's role in all this. After all, it was her body changing, not mine. Then, overnight, everything about me started to bug her. The sound of my breathing, how I moved in my

Waiting to be born

Kiddo, You're not even here yet, and everyone's already busy preparing for your arrival. You're going to be treated like royalty, that's for sure. But here's the thing – I've heard that newborns are pretty self-destructive. It seems you&

Surviving

He used to be a corporate gladiator, thriving in an arena of suits and swivel chairs. He wasn’t afraid to take a stand, even if it meant losing his job or facing disgrace. This guy right here was fully dedicated to doing the right thing: for the customers, for

Starting a side project

"I'm destined for bigger things," his inner voice assured him, standing defiantly against the soulless machinery of his nine-to-five. "This is where I take a stand," he believed, the thrill of a new side project igniting a spark within him. "At least I

Retiring early

Mr. Early wasn't going to work until he was too old to enjoy financial freedom. No, no. Mr. Early was the king of frugality and a master of penny-pinching. He scrimped and saved, living his life in a spreadsheet, until the bottom line read: “Congratulations, Mr. Early, you’

Overthinking

No, no, no, I've napped too long. Now I won't sleep on time tonight, and I’ll be all groggy and unfocused at work tomorrow. My boss will definitely notice. He'll think I'm slacking off, and then, he'll hand me

Fighting death

He was an invincible titan, looking down upon those who wished for do-overs, for second chances. He was sure he wouldn't change a single life decision, not in a hundred years, not in a thousand. Death wouldn’t be able to weaken him with regret and sentiment. No,

Climbing the ladder

He's done it, he’s finally climbed the next rung on the corporate ladder. The fresh leather creaks under his weight as he plops down into his new chair.  Spinning in his chair, a soft voice inside whispers, ‘Now what?’ He waits for a reality-changing revelation, some perceptible

Marrying a man

In the quiet hours of the night, she often lies awake, her mind a sea of contradictions about the man sleeping beside her. "Why does it irk me so?" she wonders, staring at the ceiling. He is a good father, attentive and caring. But his part in creating

Trolling

He is the picture of average. His face, his walk, his entire being is so ordinary that you'd walk past him without a second glance. However, the average man has a secret. Whenever he touches his phone, he feels a surge of power, a rush that he never

Being honorable

He was molded by his mother's teachings to be an upstanding, honorable man. “Be the change,” she would whisper, her eyes holding a thousand untold stories of suffering. Then, the honorable man met his wife’s father, who, adhering to tradition, offered a dowry far beyond his middling

Lying

He’s said it now. He never meant to, really. It just slipped out. Now, it's out there, and there's no way to reel it back in. This lie, his lie, wasn’t born out of malice. It was a knee-jerk reaction, a panicked attempt to

Becoming visible

Mild-mannered and ambitious, he was surprised when his boss said, "You're doing great, but you need to work on your visibility.” Eager to improve, he began making small changes, speaking up in every meeting and arriving early at the office. Unimpressed, his boss reiterated, "You need

Waiting

"Later," she said practically, sitting in their modest living room. They were an average couple, conscientious and rational, choosing to be responsible before taking the leap into parenthood. He, a man of the modern era, was supportive of her autonomy. Besides, he wanted them to enjoy their youth.