Jane Andrews

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (70)

70 Stories

3007 karma pts

?

“I Never Stopped Loving You” by Jane Andrews

Past: Everyone at school called us The Golden Couple – not because he was the star quarterback and I was the head cheerleader, but because everyone who saw us instantly said that here were two people in love. Our yearbook marked us out as the ‘Couple most likely to get married’ and, at the age of eighteen, that’s what Todd and I thought too. When we said goodbye as we left for our separa...

Read story

“Misfits” by Jane Andrews

College is a time for new beginnings, for reinventing yourself and being the person you couldn’t be in Middle School or High School. Even if you change your image when you hit 15 or 16, in everyone else’s eyes, you’re still the shy girl with glasses and skinny legs or the fat kid who sits by himself in the lunch hall every day because he has no friends. But no one else at college knows who you used to be and that’s what...

Read story

“Roses by Gaslight” by Jane Andrews

Trigger warning: depictions of rape “Do you like it?” Tim asked as they pulled up outside the cottage. Rose stared at the surprise her husband had planned for her, noting the honeysuckle round the door and the way the late afternoon sunlight caught the windows, and smiled. “It’s beautiful,” she said. It really was a picture-perfect place to spend the weekend. “What time do the other...

Read story

“For A Time, You Meant Everything” by Jane Andrews

Violet was only fifteen when she first met Ruby’s brother, Jack, but she fell for him on that first evening. Of course, she didn’t tell Ruby that she was in love with him: although her best friend felt proud of her brother for enlisting in the RAF, just because he was now eighteen and about to go off to serve his king and country in the war against Hitler didn’t mean she’d forgiven him for any of their childhood squabbles. So Violet kept her feelings a secret; but from time to time, she casually asked how Jack was getting on, hoping that ...

Read story

“Angel Heart” by Jane Andrews

It was gone six when Marie finally finished her shift at the homeless centre. Wrapping her scarf around her neck for protection against the chill November air, she left the building, longing for the warmth of her tiny flat and the companionship of her cat. She loved what she did at the centre, but it wore her down sometimes. It was good to know she was providing a service for people who needed i...

Read story

“Written in the Stars” by Jane Andrews

Above my head, thousands of stars wink and twink, clustering together in the familiar constellations I’ve known since I was small. Beside me, my mother points them out, telling me the same stories she always has done, her voice calming and hypnotic against the sound of the ocean in the background. “See that large star over there? And the three smaller ones that ...

Read story

“A Fridge Full of Bacon” by Jane Andrews

I gazed at the fridge in disbelief. A week ago, I had emptied the kitchen of food before my husband and I went on vacation, but the fridge was definitely not empty now. Upon the previously bare shelves sat a packet of butter (we only ever buy sunflower spread), a block of lard (ditto, olive oil) and what looked like enough bacon to set up a truck stop. “Did you buy any soya milk?” My husband joined me ...

Read story

“Love You 'Til You're Sore” by Jane Andrews

Tigger warning: depictions of sexual assault I was fifteen when I fell for the lead singer in Bad Romance. Lots of people said they were just a group of Duran Duran wannabes, but I didn’t care. Jake Phipps, their frontman, was beautiful: with finely chiselled cheekbones, hair that flopped over his eyes, and trousers so tight you wondered if they were his natural skin, he was every girl’s daydream and every mother’s nightmare. I think it was partly the overt sexuality of the songs that had...

Read story

“Secrets and Lies” by Jane Andrews

“So, Mr and Mrs Jenkins, let’s talk about why you’re here.” The counsellor’s voice is calm and soothing, but Lily’s mind is already made up. “I’ve told my husband I’m leaving him – I want a divorce. But he’s not listening to me. He keeps saying I’m confused and that I don’t know what I’m talking about.” “Okay, first things first.” The counsellor looks from one spouse to the other. By now she’s used to th...

Read story

“Waiting For The Right Moment” by Jane Andrews

He arrived on the platform with time to spare, patting his pocket to make sure that the little box was still there. As he climbed aboard the train and made his way to a vacant seat, his mind returned to the heady moment when he’d decided to ask Violet to marry him. He’d felt giddy enough to want to blurt out his secret there and then, but a proposal needed to be perfect and so he’d resolved to do things properly: buy a ...

Read story

“Photoshopper” by Jane Andrews

I once had to fill in a job application form that asked, “If you had a superpower, what would it be?” and I wrote down, “photoshopper”. Now, I realise most of you will probably tell me that’s NOT a superpower – I mean, we’ve all tweaked stuff on our phones, haven’t we? (I have a particularly fetching photo of myself with a friend where she is surrounded by stars and I am sporting reindeer’s antlers and a little black bu...

Read story

“Restoration Project” by Jane Andrews

Suitcase in hand, you head to the station. Your lover is waiting for you on the platform. Despite the years since you have seen each other, you recognise him instantly: it’s as if your heart never let go of him so long ago. You drop the suitcase and run towards him, not caring who sees as your lips meet his. Taking your hand, he walks with you to retrieve your case and then the two of you step onto the train and beg...

Read story

“The Perfect Ending” by Jane Andrews

Jennifer stared at Brad defiantly. “It’s not your baby! That’s why I’m walking away from you forever!” He gazed at her in bewilderment, wondering how the mouth that said she loved him only a few short weeks ago could now be framing words as devastating as this. Then, before his mind could register what his body was doing, Brad’s hand punched the wall behind Jennifer’s head. No! That bit...

Read story

“Writers' Group” by Jane Andrews

“So, if no one else has any important notices,” Zach looked at the motley bunch of would-be writers gathered round the long table, “we’ll move onto the anonymous manuscripts. Would anyone like to give a brief summary of ...” He consulted his notes. “... of ‘Don’t Go Baking My Heart’?” An awkward silence ensued as everyone stared at the table.

Read story

“Purple Privilege” by Jane Andrews

Miss Abebe looked around her classroom, noting how the six-year-old children were working happily in small groups. Children this age were so uncomplicated – just look at Candice with her corn rows and beautiful black skin taking charge of her group and telling blond haired Tommy and redhead Archie how to do things properly! These little ones had no concept of racism: to them, ‘color’ was something to use in their artwork. They had never heard of George Floyd; had no idea that many adults in the world they lived in were too narrow minded ...

Read story

Author bio

Jane Andrews is an English teacher and indie writer living in Birmingham, UK. She is the author of the YA 'Sarah and Steve' trilogy, the YA 'Dreams and Shadows' fantasy series, and a number of other novels. She also writes short stories across a range of genres. https://writingatjaneandrews.com/

Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️

Contest #182

Mike didn't come home last night – read story