Write a story about a character who acts like they ‘don’t have feelings’ — except they’re just putting up a facade.

Posted in Character on Nov 11, 2022

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✍️ 45 stories

“Shirts and sinks” by Emma McBean

Submitted to Contest #172

I run over to my bathroom sink and make it just in time to aim the drops of blood from my nose into it. I feel electric, like every atom of my body is lit up and every hair is raised on high alert. I'm not surprised I have a bloody nose. I am more concerned with not getting blood on any of the carpets.I did push him; I really should have shut my mouth. I know himwell enough now that my intuition gives me a massive nudge when to stop, butsometimes I can't. Why should I get up to a car with no fuel in it? With atoddler in tow. God forbid, I de...

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“Cool” by Julia Smith

Submitted to Contest #172

This story contains swearing My new school doesn't suck. The only parts that suck is that I'm already known throughout half the entire 7th grade, thanks to my mom, stumbling into my classroom with half a bottle of liquor in her hand. Well, it could have passed as water or something stupid, and thats what everyone thinks as far as I'm concerned, but lets get this straight. I am not stupid. But as my feet echo against the lonely floor of the hallway, I start to doubt it. I tighten my grip around the yellow piece of plastic hanging around m...

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“Things Unsaid” by Kristi-Dawn Wittenmyer

Submitted to Contest #172

Ewh, I should have given myself a pedicure, I think, as I look at the fading pink nail polish. The routine is the same every time; I jump in the truck, off go the shoes, and up go the feet with my toes pressing against the dashboard. This has been my posture for as long as we've been friends. We’ll drive around for hours like this talking about everything and nothing at all. I debate for a moment on whether I should put my shoes back on or not, but Will would never notice my neglected toenails, and if he does, he wo...

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“Bookstore Girl” by Jeffery Young

Submitted to Contest #172

“Thomas Mc Flanagan was an Irish immigrant who moved to the United States in the 1970s, falling in love with the daughter of an old southern gentleman while in Charleston. Of course, southern tradition didn’t allow for that, so the couple did what any logical young couple would do, they ran! Escaped! Fled to the north and moved to a small town near Chesapeake bay and married. It was a struggle, obviously, but they managed to scrape together a living working in a nearby factory. But, that wasn’t the happy ending for this couple. No, no, no . ...

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“The Meeting” by Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

Submitted to Contest #172

Kai set out early in the morning. The cabin had no heating so he jumped out of bed as soon as he felt the cold creeping under the blanket. He went outside to stretch and breathed in. The fresh spring air smelled like frost but warmed quickly in the sun. The cabin sat on a slope facing east. Below was a green valley, dotted with hawthorn shrubs and wild apple trees covered in white flowers. There was some mist below and droplets of dew on the grass. He could see the rays of the sun pierce the mist as it rose up. He took in the view and felt b...

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“My mafia romance” by Ashley Brandt

Submitted to Contest #172

Tristan Morelli slid into the seat next to mine, drawing a collective breath from the rest of our Poli-Sci class. The entire Morelli family was well-known in Boston, and Tristan was the oldest surviving son of the Morelli empire. I tried not to squirm as his expensive cologne drifted around me like a circle, caging me in place. I could sense him in my peripheral, tall, dark and commanding, and utterly self-assured that the world belonged to him. Mr. Magliano, the professor, waited for a subtle nod to continue his lecture, and all at once I’d...

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“Okay” by Mae Lynn Wallace

Submitted to Contest #172

I hold my breath in the moments between clicking “End Meeting for All” and the browser closing, keeping my face frozen and hopefully giving the air of confidence and being unfazed.The discussion did not go well. Our partners at the state agency are unimpressed with our efforts to resolve the glitch that’s causing their enrollees to receive multiple erroneous letters and text messages alerting them of a change in their benefits. The program manager ended the meeting with a threat to end our contract if it’s not taken care of within the week.&...

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“Tinta” by הדס כהן

Submitted to Contest #172

7\14\1832 . Italy, Egnazia- Puglia It hurts when you realize you're not as important to someone as you thought. Marcel Rodriguez pulled up the blanket to cover his shoulder, he yawned and turned back and forth on his bed. When he turned around, Osiris Bolton was standing in front of him, pointing to the door with his long finger, and they both stood up in silence. There was a lot of stuff on the floor and they didn't leave much place to walk in between, Marcel tried to find a way around in the darkness. A chill went past his veins as he step...

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“Kindness Conquers” by Faith Richardson

Submitted to Contest #172

Liz kicked her feet up onto the hickory window seat her husband built and placed under the loft window years before. She rocked back in the soft, over-stuffed maroon Lazy Boy chair and stared out at the ponderosa pine forest she called her back yard. “Why do some of us experience emotions so deep from a bottomless well while others go through life never having seen the well?” She spoke out loud to God. She had never heard him audibly before, but maybe she would today. “What causes emotions to override reason? Seriously, I am a faithf...

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“Rock” by Lori Mcphearson

Submitted to Contest #172

Rock They called her Rock. She walked around the campus with upright stature. Her broad shoulders cemented against the hard plastic chair. She sat perfectly still as she listened to the professor lecture on the terms that would be on the final exam. She loved learning about Abnormal psychology and she knew she would get a A in this class. She stood up and straightened her blouse as she made her way to the exit. “Rock, when do you want to meet up to finish the project?”, Sara asked as Ro...

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“Malnutrition Villa.” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #172

"Good morning, world. Another day in the life of Malnutrition Villa," thought Lynnie, an ageing, free caregiver for old Bobby Dullton. She barely did her hair, before he was moaning and calling for her. Lynnie attended to his needs, he was trying to turn on the television with his mobile phone. "Up and about early," she commented. She asked herself what Jesus would do. Smile and turn the other cheek. "Captain Smiley's here!" It was a day in the life of the ageing Dulltons. Lynnie answered the summons. Lynnie affectionately titled the villa...

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“Letter to my Sins” by Cailyn Le

Submitted to Contest #172

Trigger warnings: domestic abuse, swearing, mentions of gore and animal abuse. Dear ma, Sometimes, I wonder if I’m a sociopath, or if I’m just painfully apathetic. It seems like a cowardly move to write this now that you’re gone, but speaking to your ghost meant I didn’t have to face your disappointment. I know you tried your best, and it’s hard raising a child on your own, but I have no more excuses for you. In first grade, we had scheduled rotations to take home Judith, our class pet. Remember her? She was a small brown-spotted bunny...

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“The incident” by Atlas Reed

Submitted to Contest #172

Author's note: This story is heavily based on my SA experience, because I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings on it. The story itself does not contain SA on any level, but because of the real story behind it, it might hit a bit too close to home if you had a similar experience, so please read with caution, or don't read at all if this sounds like it isn't for you.Guard was staring at his hand, perplexed. He didn't really understand what was happening at that moment. There was a knife that seemed to be going right through it. Blood ...

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“The Cool Guy” by Kayla Joy

Submitted to Contest #172

Author’s note: this story contains nongraphic themes of abuse, miscarriage, and divorce, told from the perspective of a woman telling her therapist what it was like to love “a man with no feelings” years later. It was written while listening to All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) by Taylor Swift on repeat. Read at your own discretion. I saw through his mask. I think he knew it too, even though I never told him. Maybe he wanted me to see through the cracks, or maybe he was just bad at hiding it. I don’t know. But he showed me just enough tru...

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“Puppets” by Charles Cline

Submitted to Contest #172

The diner stretches in front of me. Receding lines of perspective angle towards the oversized windows up front. The neon-fringed jukebox in the corner plays a melancholy country song from the mid-seventies. Wafting aromas swirl and collide in the atmosphere. Bacon grease. Cigarettes. Mop and Glo. Grilled cheese. I sit in the booth in the back, sipping my tea. It’s a good view; I can see people coming and going through a greasy glass door in a tarnished metal frame. The little bell hanging just above it tinkles flatly, announcing each arriv...

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Write a story about a character who acts like they ‘don’t have feelings’ — except they’re just putting up a facade.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 45 stories

“Shirts and sinks” by Emma McBean

“Cool” by Julia Smith

“Things Unsaid” by Kristi-Dawn Wittenmyer

“Bookstore Girl” by Jeffery Young

“The Meeting” by Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

“My mafia romance” by Ashley Brandt

“Okay” by Mae Lynn Wallace

“Tinta” by הדס כהן

“Kindness Conquers” by Faith Richardson

“Rock” by Lori Mcphearson

“Malnutrition Villa.” by Julie Grenness

“Letter to my Sins” by Cailyn Le

“The incident” by Atlas Reed

“The Cool Guy” by Kayla Joy

“Puppets” by Charles Cline

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a world devoid of logic, where feelings govern all decision-making.

Write about a character who must confess their true feelings by midnight, or risk losing it all.

Write about a character reminiscing over something they should have said, and how their life would be completely different had they said it.

Set your story in an unfiltered world, where people are always honest about how they feel.

Contest #172

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

188

Contest entries

90

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: