Emma Lin

“Fate” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #55

“You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.” “Well, then.” Elizabeth ever so gently took Mr. Darcy’s hand and landed a loving kiss on it. “Your hands are cold.” Ok, Ok Elizabeth. I see what you are trying to do. Nice tactic. As the sun rises, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth come closer, their noses touching. But no kiss happens. Not even a French kiss. Grrrr. Is it asking a lot for two people, madly in love, to kiss? It isn’t like binding leather chains...

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“Boring Mary” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #52

Mary Jane was undergraduate senior student with dreams of paying off student loans and securing a full-time after graduation. Mary Jane liked to eat a classic hamburger with 100% Angus meat, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes with a side of tater tots. Mary Jane’s favorite colors were pales. Mary read newspapers, watched Fox/CNN, and stayed away from politics and fashion channels. Mary Jane loved drinking hibiscus tea, sitting on her 4th floor apartment balcony, watching the clouds. Clearly, Mary Jane was very ordinary an...

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“The Frappuccino Man” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #48

“Get that ‘A’ on the Biochem exam/quiz! ~Anonymous” The young student nods enthusiastically as he heads out the metal doors. Quick bio: Name: Anonymous Height: Short Education: Junior at University of Florida Superpower: Words (not just for swearing) Testimonials on the campus blog, ufl.edu/positivewords/anonymous: “I saw a folded note on top of my textbook. It said ‘Don’t doubt yourself. You got this. ~Anonymous’ I thought it was weird but I felt a surge of hopefulness. For the first time in the semester, I got a ‘B’ on an ...

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“Discussions over apple juice” by Emma Lin

“Ms. Maya.” She stood by the doorway wearing a plaid-skirt with an oversized white long sleeve shirt holding a teddy bear backpack.  “Louise,” Maya sticked a “good job” smiley sticker on the C+ multiplication quiz. “Did you forgot something?” It was after 3:30 and all the buses left to send the students home.  “Ms. Maya.” The girl propped onto the plastic kid-sized green chair next to her desk and paused as if she was thinking about Newton’s law of universal gravitation.  “Sweetie, do you want apple juice?” Maya presented a Se...

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“Welcome Back Part 2” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #44

“Good bye,” grandmother tip-toed on a feet to press a light kiss on my cheek.  “Good bye,” I reciprocated the kiss on hers. “I don’t like that word.” “Have you ever thought that some words have double-meanings? Like gay, date, engaged, net, foil.”  I never thought it in that way. “Your point being?”  Grandmother wrapped her fragile hands around mine, eyeing me with her stern emerald eyes. “You and Amy will be alone in this brutal, wonderful world.”  “Grandmother,” I looked down at the clean cement ground. “I left Amy...

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“An extraordinary average day” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #43

Isabella Rose Garcia was the proud owner of 1,100 square feet condo at Arlington, Virginia as of March 1st. She called this place home with $2,300 monthly mortgage tag and hasn’t been happier with her decision; it was truly hers.From Brazil, Andrew and Patricia Garcia immigrated, under asylum, to the barbecue capital and tobacco with $900 and determination to start a new leaf in North Carolina. Her parents took on blue collar jobs--Andrew was a mechanic manager in a car shop two miles down the town’s supermarket where Patricia worked as a re...

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“Isn't a surprise? ” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #42

May I trade my parents for yours? No, it is not a joke; I am more than happy to trade mine for yours anytime of the day. Asian parents are a pain in the ass. Every day the lecture is about studying til midnight, earning honors, being top of the class, becoming a doctor, lawyer (in their dictionary the only two jobs that exist), having a six-digit salary. Love them to death but it irritates the Buddha out of me!Excuse me Buddha. “Lila, we want the best for you,” my mother and father said one night on the couch. “We want you to be su...

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“Make a Guess” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #40

“Hey Jenna, is everything going well?” Melissa sat on the bay window seat cushion. “I’m sorry that I missed your call and text.”“Melissa, I can’t take it any more longer.”“What is it?”“I’m bored.”Melissa paused to replay what she just heard. “You left a dozen voice mails, fifteen text messages, and five Facebook messages because you are bored?”“I’m SUFFERING of boredom.”“SUFFERING of hunger is more painful than boredom,” Melissa stated. “Why don’t you read a book?”“I don’t like touching books.”“They don’t bite, Jenna.”“They have coronavirus ...

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“Diamonds” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #39

He was glazing at the night diamonds with longing after plucking petals off of a sunflower.Next morning, the boy mustered the courage to confront the next door neighbor girl carrying her favorite flowers: lavenders and sunflowers tie with a wheat string. He slyly handed the mini-bouquet, which the girl looked at with bewilderment.“Those are for you,” the boy said, looking at the ground. “I picked those fresh in the morning.”Mother Earth knew the boy has a strong liking to the girl and made sure to grow an abundant of flowers for the boy to s...

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“Never Far” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #38

Hit alarm clock, brush teeth, shower, put on clothes, eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, watch television and internet-surfing, instant ramen noddles.That is my quarantine schedule for four months but it feels like a year worth of time. Do not ask about my appearance or hair: I have been wearing sweatpants and over-sized shirts with crazy-cat lady hair style. I switch on the television as I situate into the lazy boy chair. “Good morning America,” the woman grinned. “The pandemic has brought many of us together from all sides of the pole.”“That’s ri...

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“Welcome Back” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #37

I stepped onto the stony paved driveway. 1456 Dock Landing Drive New Orleans, LA. Coming back to this place bought back memories of my childhood--like running around the sprinkler in the fluffy grass, sitting on the porch singing “twinkle twinkle little star” with grandmother, watching fireflies dancing in the dark. “Sister.” “Amy,” I said. “What brings you here?”“I have the same question,” she hopped out of the rusty orange Jeep. “Isn’t it a beautiful day?” “Not really.” “Don’t say that Anna. We are sisters.”“I will and can. As a side ...

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“Thank you” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #36

Dear Diary: I have re-watched ten out of the twenty-one seasons of Law and Order SVU, conquered two bags of Doritos, one cherry popsicle and ice cream sandwich. Good thing my parents aren’t at home. They would be furious at my junk food binging.What else could a college student do? I surfed on Facebook, Insta, Twitter, so I deserved a “break”. Two months ago, the school send everybody a massive email about transitioning to virtual classes due to COVID-19.CNN. COVID. Fox News. COVID. NBC. COVID. Cardi B. Coronavirussss. When it begun, I was t...

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“Her” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #31

During my undergraduate years at New York University (NYU), I interned with The Three--JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup with an ambition to be with the top of the top, to be excellent.I made strong social relations with project managers, received awards and praise and invitations to luxurious gatherings.  Beginning in 2012, I got laid off from my job at Goldman Sachs and it was a good-bye to my handsome six figure salary, Porsche 911, an Upper Manhattan penthouse and other materialistic possessions that money could buy. I reloc...

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