Even when we are sure in the course of a tale or believe we can predict its outcome, life frequently throws us off. It challenges our assumptions, prompting us to question what we thought we knew about the world and the people around us. This selection features stories in which a single, unexpected surprise upends the entire plot, flipping everything upside down.
Story 1:
I had a colleague who never spoke to me—not even a word. I wanted to be friends with her because we were two females around the same age in the company. But a quick nod to my “Hi” was all I ever got. Yet, we exchanged work emails regularly.
5 years later, at our annual Christmas party, she gave me a locket without a word and walked away. Inside, there was a piece of paper with 2 words: I’m mute. All these years, I’d assumed she didn’t want to talk to me. Our relationship didn’t change much after that. She stayed shy, and I simply smiled when I saw her, not wanting to bother her.
7 years later, she suddenly left the company. I couldn’t even say goodbye. The next day, another colleague said, “Emma wanted you to have this.” It was another locket. I opened it and found a folded piece of paper. It had 2 words: Favorite colleague.
I was stunned. I never sensed she cared for me, yet she clearly did. I tried to find her, but she had moved abroad. I still keep both lockets, and they remind me of the quiet bonds we sometimes share without realizing it. Wherever she is, I hope Emma is doing well.
Story 2:
In college, four of us lived in a two-bedroom apartment. I shared a room with Reuben, who was a really introverted, shy nerd who didn’t seem capable of socializing well or talking to women much.
We had a small group of us go to this karaoke bar, picking the usual bad songs and singing stuff. Reuben hadn’t joined in or sung anything, so we pushed him a little bit to pick a song, and he chose “Always” by Atlantic Starr.
Then, it was like a moment out of a reality show—he just totally rocked that song, singing his heart out with more passion than I’d ever seen him put into anything. We were all silent and in awe that he could belt out a song like that and sing perfectly. © yakusokuN8 / Reddit
Story 3:
Story 4:
One day, when I was 10, I called the video store where my dad worked to talk to him and to see if he could bring me home Spyro for PlayStation, and the manager asked to speak to my mom. He then proceeded to tell us that my dad had robbed the store a couple of days prior and was arrested.
He had been coming and going from the house as if he was still going to work all those days. Needless to say, the divorce happened shortly after. © EazyDAnk / Reddit
Story 5:
Story 6:
I bought a used car from a friend during my college years who was a mechanic. The car looked like new, and I thought I knew him well enough to take his word that it was in “perfect shape and not needing any money spent on it.”
It turned out he used our friendship to unload a vehicle riddled with mechanical issues—including serious transmission problems, brake repairs, and electrical faults. © Unknown author / Reddit
Story 7:
My friend got engaged. He’s been very vocal in the past about not wanting to get married, and when another friend got engaged after being with his girlfriend for six months, this guy went on a rant about how it was stupid to get engaged after such a short time.
Well, come June, it turns out he’s engaged, has been for six weeks, and has only been with the girl since February. Oh, and she’s his best mate’s ex, and that relationship ended in January.
The hypocrisy is staggering. © keekee13 / Reddit
Story 8:
Story 9:
In 7th grade, my friend came out to me as gay. No biggie. After the first year of college, he’s engaged and has a pregnant fiancée. © stefonio / Reddit
Story 10:
I thought she was my “best friend.” She asked me to be the godmother to her son, and I said yes. About a month after the birth, we got matching tattoos for him (the baby). About two months after the baby was born, a mutual friend told me that she had an affair with the guy I was seeing while she was pregnant with my “godson”—so four months prior.
I asked her about it, and she said it was years ago. It was not. He had told me the truth about it. Anyway, she said it was bad of me to be hurt by it and that she was sorry she even asked me to be the godmother. © f**guyst***gler / Reddit
