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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#131: First Impressions

On the 28th of January 1813, Pride and Prejudice was first published. Originally titled First Impressions, Jane Austen’s most famous work has gone on to be a genre-defining classic — and one of my personal favorites.

To celebrate the anniversary of its release, this week’s prompts explore the themes of Pride and Prejudice, and the slipperiness of first impressions.

This week's prompts

Write a story about two characters whose first impressions of one another are wildly inaccurate.

Fluff – 55 stories

Write a story that includes (or subverts) the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Romance – 25 stories

Start your story with the arrival of a new person in a town full of gossips.

Adults – 41 stories

Write a story about a group of sisters, or a group of brothers.

Vampire – 35 stories

Set your story in a drawing room.

Fiction – 29 stories

Stories

“Dad's Footsteps” by T.M. Kehoe

Submitted to Contest #131

“What the fuck are we doing on this stupid camping trip?” Eric, the youngest brother, didn’t bother to hide his impatience with the whole rigamarole.“We’re here, you dumb shit, because Dad put it in his paperwork. We have to go on this trip together before they read the will. You know that.” The middle brother, Christopher, took off his horn-rimmed glasses, polished them with his t-shirt, thrust them back on his face impatiently.“Hey, just relax and enjoy it. It’ll be cool, spending some time together.” The oldest brother, David, directed hi...

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“A Book by its Cover” by Howard Seeley

Submitted to Contest #131

I wasn’t sure what to expect but knew it wouldn’t be good. Not only did I find myself sitting on a folding chair in the middle of a hallway, but there were also another person waiting to be interviewed as well. She was young and attractive, and her low-neck blouse and midthigh skirt left little to be imagined. “Crap!” I said to myself. “All she had to do was cross her legs and smile, then the job was hers.”“What luck,” I tightened my tie and pulled down my all too short sleeves of my jacket. It was no use. I was going to look like a slob, no...

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“Regrets” by Marie Cunningham Davidson

Submitted to Contest #131

As the diminutive figure stepped down from the Greyhound coach in Bairnsdale, Victoria, head down, dark tresses firmly held in place by a blood-red knitted beanie, Lisa Stephens glanced up surreptitiously through hooded hazel eyes, to see if she’d caught any unwanted attention. So far, so good. Jerking the dark leather hoodie over her head, Lisa strode quickly to the luggage retrieval area at the far end of the coach station, promptly grabbed her luggage and hurried over to the cab rank. Dressed in black jeans and black urban boots, the cr...

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“"Patri -Angel with a Broken Heart"” by Евгения Черногорова

Submitted to Contest #131

Where the heart is… He looked for her soul. In the morning, first thing in the morning he felt whether she was there – the soul, in the afternoon he fed her and took care of her – the soul, in the evening he had her – for the soul, and at night she became himself… Andreas had always desired her, free, confident, principled. Let her remain here as his idea, his puppet. The realization did not come immediately, why? Why did he want her like this? It is an Ego with a scattering of little carnal ones. It's sweet to feed him. An ordinar...

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“The Rise Of Madam Kate” by Philip Ebuluofor

Submitted to Contest #131

She is 65, around 5f 3. Dark and slim. Mrs. Kate Okorie had been a teacher in the kindergarten school run by the Catholic Church in my countryside town for maybe 15 plus years before calling it quits. She sat at a corner and smiled to those gathered there. It wouldn’t be exaggeration to say that almost all the generation x born in the five villages that made up St John’s parish received their nursery education from her. It would be nice to give you some little background gist on the woman. I am sure you have knowledge of whe...

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“The Masked Figure” by Lawzha Latif

Submitted to Contest #131

It was eight forty five. I had finally finished my night shift and crossed the never ending traffic to get back to my little studio. My studio is located on the 22nd floor of an old building in the town’s center. It’s walls are covered with paintings of the passengers that told me their extraordinary stories each night. My chisel is in the middle of the room and my flat on the ground bed lying in the far left corner by the large windows. I don’t want to forget any of the people I get to meet during those interesting hours. Therefore as I com...

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“To My Esteemed Rival” by Jane Linwood

Submitted to Contest #131

May 12/ 2021Dear Pinky, Earlier today I saw that you left your wallet on the bus, so I’m bringing returning it. I also borrowed some cash, consider it payment for my good deeds. You're welcome. &...

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“Floating” by Dimarnae Deveau

Submitted to Contest #131

SLAM Ah yes, a familiar feeling. New school. New locker. Same cold, unyielding metal. Ouch. “Dyke” I hear one of the girls who just shoulder checked me into my good friend Mr. Locker say under her breath. Her friends laugh. Gotta love High school. Continuing my trek down the hall I see people staring at me, I know what they’re thinking. Everyone does. A few of them Giggle, pointing. It’s like one of those scenes in a movie where someone’s having a nightmare about showing up to s...

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“Small Town Talk” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #131

Small Town TalkTime was, you could'a fired a shotgun down Main Street at high noon on a Sunday, and not hit a soul. Nowadays, you'd get hauled in just for havin’ a gun - not to mention, you’d be likely to hit somebody even if you's a poor shot.Progress, they call it. Town's gotta grow to stay alive, they say. (Hrhmm!) Fact is, this town was mighty lively some years back… ‘Course, it was a while before my time, but I know plenty about it. Most of us older folks do - we just don't talk about it. Plenty of talk went on back then.You see th...

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“Three Little Sisters and How They Grew” by Genevieve Willingham

Submitted to Contest #131

Three Little Sisters and How They Grew Once upon a time there were three little sisters: The Pretty One, The Smart One, and The Artistic One. Each one knew her station in life, for their mother had taught them well, lining them up, pointing to each in turn and saying, “You’re The Pretty One,” “You’re the Smart One,” and “You’re the Artistic One.” She did that a couple of times a year, so they wouldn’t forget. And they never forgot (though I am happy to say that eventually they stopped believing it; well, not The Pretty One; she believed she...

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“Sister & Sons, Bar and Grill” by Jordan Williams

Submitted to Contest #131

Sensitive Content warning - Domestic Abuse, Violence & Substance Abuse Ford sighed and slammed the ice machine closed. "Sorry Pablo, it's playing up again." He said. There was a crack, followed by static before his brother replied. "Just rewire the sub-power to the freezer and I'll rerun the OS from here." Pablo said. "Yeah dude, I have no idea what that means. I'll just go to the motel." Ford said. "Leave Sister's & Sons! For ice! Are you crazy!? Can you get me a Penguin bar‽" Pablo said. "Sure," Ford said. He lifted ...

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“Brown Eyes” by Katelin Grudzinski

Submitted to Contest #131

I pulled my coat closer around me as a frosty breeze ripped through the night. Snowflakes fell from the overcast sky, kissing the ends of my hair and the tip of my nose. It was just like Murray to ask me to meet him in this weather. I checked my phone, blinking at the bright screen. Murray had said he would meet me outside of La Coupe Rose, our favorite cafe, ten minutes ago. If he made me wait much longer, I would have to break one of the darkened windows and make myself a latte. “Lil! Lil, I’m so sorry!” Murray rushed aro...

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“ESM: Emergency Sister Meeting” by Jethro Pili

Submitted to Contest #131

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Anne McBride’s fingers flew all over the keyboard, typing as fast as she could, à la Clark Kent, the Daily Planet’s fastest typist. Currently, there was a party at Chloe Higgins’s palatial house and she was invited, along with her younger sister Katherine, but she declined. She had more important things to do. She was focused on homework—always have, always will. Their youngest sister Mary was at the Silver Spatula, eating burgers and fries, drinking shakes, and studying with her study g...

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“Gone Again” by Isabela Maher

Submitted to Contest #131

“She’s back!” I heard someone whisper excitedly behind my shoulder. That sort of thing seemed to be happening a lot lately - ever since I moved back to my childhood town, actually. I had been living in Anningham for just a few days. It was more than enough to let me know something was up. I turned around in the line so my back faced the deli’s counter. Not one set of eyes was on me, although the feeling deep in my chest said otherwise. I turned back around to look at the beautifully decorated chalkboard menu. “Shhh! She noticed you!” a diffe...

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“Upperclasswoman's Privilege” by Dave Bede

Submitted to Contest #131

The first time I saw Jen, she was coming down the path from Loorsey Hall just after second bell. She was laughing at something another girl said when they were passing, and her joyful smile and bouncing dark curls caught my attention. I smiled back as I approached her. When we made eye-contact, she recoiled and stepped off the path to give me a wide berth. I was used to the older girls looking at me like that because I was a freshman and a scholarship kid, and I knew just how to handle it. “Good morning,” I said, not losing the smile. “D...

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$250

Prize money

185

Contest entries

128

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 04, 2022 EST

Won by Zack Powell 🏆

Title: Love Ain't Blind, Grief Is

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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