romance

  • Chill n’FillEpisode: The Space Between Wanting and TakingWritten by: Emmitt Owens(Index #01152026) Authors Preliminary Notes: This episode is emotionally dense. This episode is a keystone—it defines what “healthy” looks like in this universe. Future episodes will bounce off it.    The thing about midnight is that it doesn’t lie. Whatever you bring through those doors Read more

  • “Exhale”Part III of a three-part fictional character study examining miscommunication, intrusive thought, and self-reflection.The Truth Behind The InkBy: Emmitt Owens (Index #01042026) [Verse 1]You know, I didn’t write “SEEN” ’cause I lived it—that ain’t me,I wrote it ’cause I witnessed what unchecked pain can be,Dudes who turn rejection into Reddit threads and spite,So I sketched that Read more

  • Me vs. Me: The Scroll

    Me vs. Me: The ScrollBy: Emmitt Owens(Index #01052026)    The blue glow painted my face as I scrolled through another profile. Single. The word sat there like an invitation I couldn’t accept, couldn’t ignore, couldn’t do anything with except stare at it until my eyes burned.     My thumb hovered over the message button, frozen in Read more

  • Red Flags, Red LightsPart I of a three-part fictional character study examining miscommunication, intrusive thought, and self-reflection.A Multisyllabic, Whimsy, Stream of Consciousness RhymeBy: Emmitt Owens(Index #01042026) [Verse 1]I said “maybe lunch” like a shrug with a smileShe heard “future plans,” heard “pressure,” heard “trial”I got more free time than a retired clockEven my hustle hit Read more

  • B-12: A Love Vitamin

    B-12: A Love NumberBy: Emmitt Owens(Index #12312025)    Look, I’m fifty-four, and I’ll tell you right now: the house didn’t echo when my youngest daughter drove off to college. It just got quiet. The kind of quiet you’ve been waiting thirty-four years for, even if you didn’t know it. The last of the kids to Read more

  • A Tuesday Poem

    A Tuesday PoemBy: Emmitt Owens(Index #12302025) Tuesday weighs heavy like wet wool, this day that pretendsto be productive but really just slouches between the bookends—and I’m thinking about how we’ve built this elaborate theaterwhere everyone’s both audience and performer and no onecan remember their lines but we all keep showing up anyway,swiping left on our Read more

  • Chill n’FillBook 3: Episode 4Dating Disasters and Hard-Won WisdomWritten by: Emmitt Owens(Index #07222025)    Friday night at the Chill n’Fill buzzed with the usual weekend split—half the crowd revved up for adventure, the other half limping in like survivors of labor forced workweek. I was halfway through cramming neon cans of energy drinks into the Read more

  • This story said ‘what if we made a convenience store clerk into the most emotionally intelligent person in town’ and honestly? A Revolutionary dating strategy 💯 Read more

  • Chill’n’FillBook 3: Episode 2Presence, Worth, and the Heart of SuccessWritten by: Emmitt Owens    Tuesday night at Chill n’Fill was settling into its familiar rhythm when I looked up from restocking the candy display to see our one-eyed polar bear mascot in its latest incarnation. Bob had outdone himself this time—the bear now sported what Read more

  • Chill’n’FillBook 3: Episode 1New Faces, Old Mysteries, and the Passing of the PenWritten By: Emmitt Owens    The announcement crackled through Chill n’Fill’s speakers with Bob’s characteristic blend of corporate formality and complete detachment from reality. I watched from behind the counter as the handful of evening customers paused their snack selections to listen, their Read more