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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#81: Candy Hearts

Ah, love. From the first spark of attraction to the soul-deep contentment of a long-established relationship, romantic love is a force that continues to mystify, enthrall, and surprise us.

And while there’s plenty to criticize about Valentine’s Day, it’s still a nice excuse for people in romantic relationships to stop and appreciate their partners for a day. Especially during lockdown, when quarters are tight and nerves are often frayed, it’s important to remember why we chose the person (or people) we coupled up with.

What better time for a writer to dive headfirst into romances? No matter how many times we tell a love story, each relationship is going to have its own unique joys and frustrations, and we want to feel them all. So feel free to let your sappy side out — this week we’re celebrating love!

This week's prompts

Write about two people reconnecting after a rough patch in their relationship.

Romance – 247 stories

Write a love story about an older couple who’ve been together since they were teenagers.

Romance – 168 stories

Write about a first date that surprises both people, but in different ways.

Romance – 161 stories

Start your story with one character setting up a romantic dinner, and end it with them looking at a framed wedding photo.

Romance – 181 stories

Write about someone asking out an old crush, only to realize their crush doesn’t remember they’ve ever met before.

Romance – 159 stories

Stories

“A calculated risk” by Noja Lina

Submitted to Contest #81

It’s been a while since I went on a date. Can’t say there haven’t been a few opportunities, but not really ones I was willing to pursue. People around me say I play it safe too much, that I won’t enjoy life if I’m always so cautious. They’re not wrong, but they’re not right either. I chose the safer options for major life decisions and I haven’t regretted any such decision so far. With relationships and hookups however, I admit I often wonder what would’ve happened if I had taken a gamble in some of those cases, but it’s not like those t...

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“The Note.” by Marsha Webb

Submitted to Contest #81

Zavier tightened his helmet strap and put on his cycling gloves. He did a quick check for his keys and wallet then swung his leg over his pride and joy, his beloved cycle. Javier had only been in the U.K. for six months, he didn’t know may people and his bike helped him remember his home, he had cycled everywhere there and the first thing he did when arriving in the U.K. was search for a suitable bike to purchase.It was 7.30am, early enough to call in for a coffee. Zavier set off for work weaving in and out of the traffic. He had been lucky ...

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“The new girl” by Gabby Garon

Submitted to Contest #81

I woke in a rush just another nightmare I thought, “Elena breakfast” my mom yelled from the kitchen. “Coming mama” I swung my legs over my bed and was ready to start the day I walked into my closet and grabbed jeans and a a tank top after getting dressed I headed downstairs for breakfast.” You ready for school Elana?’ my dad aksed trying to tie his tie for work “ almost dad i still need to eat breakfast and brush my teeth” I walked over and tied his red,white , and blue tie. “ well you need to comb your hair to” he says walking i...

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“Then, who are you?” by Anna May

Submitted to Contest #81

*This story is based off of the anime, Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School, Despair Arc*“And who are you?” He said.That’s where it all went downhill. He didn’t remember me. Back then, I realized how I had underestimated this whole game. I wasn’t a game at the time to me- it was my life. But that just proves how naive I was. Lives were meaningless to her. I really thought that I could end this, but it’s pretty hard for one girl to stop the end of the world against a mastermind who had been planning this her whole life. But, ther...

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“Appaloosa” by Holly Fister

Submitted to Contest #81

Silky blonde strands whipped around a gently freckled face, momentarily blocking dark blue eyes before leaping into another wild dance. Long, slender fingers reached for the door handle, alighted, then retreated.“Don’t rock the boat,” she said out loud, hand hovering midway between her body and the restaurant door. “No, you should jump out of the boat. Go swimming!”Someone sighed behind her. “You can do it, sweetie,” said an older woman.“Oh, right. Sorry.” She grabbed the handle and swung the door open with gusto, stepping int...

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“Different and the Same” by Madison Tumey

Submitted to Contest #81

Jess woke up feeling like an asshole. Her pajama pants were pulled up under the skirt that she’d forgotten to take off in her drunken stupor. The drive home felt like a distant memory. She remembered it in bits and pieces. His hand on the steering wheel. The fuzzy dice dangling from the mirror. He still had the same taste in music, and when “Can’t Fight This Feeling” came on they both sat in silence until the chorus and then they were twin volcanoes, erupting into song side by side, just like old times. He still hadn’t learned the wo...

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“Peanut_Butter” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #81

Do you want to go to the dance with me?Tick either Yes --- or No ---Dear Diary,J and I are spending a lot of time together. It’s insane! How we can sit together for hours and it feels like no time has passed or most insane of it all, how I keep wanting more. We sit in the library or go to the park and talk about everything and nothing. I think he is the coolest, smartest and most beautiful boy in our class.I like that he is very serious about his studies and Mummy is always saying that’s a mark of a good man. I like that I’m the person ...

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“Maybe If I Was Different” by ℤ ℍ☮️

Submitted to Contest #81

Being popular was supposed to be fun. Guilt wrapped around my throat, I fiddled nervously with the collar of my shirt. What if the school thought this wasn't a joke? That I liked him. The doorbell was yellow and flower-shaped. My finger hovered over it for a bit, I thought about the excitement on his face when I said yes to the date. I thought about every compliment he'd ever paid me. Then I pushed it. I heard a soft chime of the doorbell. I heard a few hurried footsteps and the door opened. He was wearing a sharp white blouse that looked vi...

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“Fiddler's Dinner” by Svara Narasiah

Submitted to Contest #81

Fiddler was making dinner. He first washed his tiny paws, then clipped back his whiskers so they wouldn't fall in the soup. After ushering the twins out of the kitchen, as they were more nuisance than help, he got out the ingredients and his mother's old cookbook. It was his father's wedding anniversary, and Fiddler had been presented with the task of preparing a romantic meal for him and his wives. You see, Fiddler's father, Tiddler, had five wives. From what he had told his son, he had gotten five proposals on Christmas Eve and acc...

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“Beyond Words” by Vernard Muegue

Submitted to Contest #81

The earth was cracked beneath his feet and the fragments were filled by grasses in brown and in green. But he paid them no attention. He was preoccupied with the things that soon would matter. He knew the uncertainties that lay upon if Lexie would say yes. Nonetheless, above all, he wanted not to hear a NO.She made seven steps closer to him. Her face was a sunset while his was in dilemma. His confidence was completely devoured by fears carved by his two contradicting thoughts: He loved her. Maybe he's ready to love her."And before she could ...

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“A Shot at a Date” by Morgan Douglas

Submitted to Contest #81

Romance was hard to come by for Florence, most of the time her dates didn’t get far past the first one. For three years she had decided to put her heart in a box when it came to dating. She simply thought she wasn’t ready to try again. Instead, she focused on her single life, putting her needs first. Thinking that if she explored her own self that she would figure out what she wanted in her love life when she was willing to go back on the hunt for a lover. Thinking that maybe this next time she would explore her bisexuality and try dating bo...

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“Lighting in a Bottle” by Elizabeth Inkim

Submitted to Contest #81

In the pale light of dawn, streaks of ochre and orange cut through the black veil of night, clearing the mist away from the snow-blanketed valley below. From my spot on the balcony, I stared at the snow-covered hills, studying its sparkle and the eerie way the iron-wood trees seemed to be reaching for the sky; the moss-covered bows gnarled with time. Nestled in the heart of the valley, the palace was surrounded by a boiling lake. The steam curling off its surface did little to warm the air, but at least the thermal currents below supplied he...

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“Willow” by Jakin Files

Submitted to Contest #81

The water was just right. Waves crashed on the shore as ferociously as a small ripple on a lake can. Leaves rustled in the nearby trees. Light suddenly erupted from the sky, as the sun broke free of the now, vanishing clouds. Fletcher carried the last of the supplies to the dinghy, that sat half in the water. He took care in placing all items so that the boat would sit even and balanced on the water. The last thing he wanted was for it to capsize. Standing erect once more, he licked his forefinger and raised it just above his head. He nodded...

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“Our Marriage for the Kingdom” by Josh C

Submitted to Contest #81

Katarina stared at the heavy wooden gaol door and adjusted the crown on her head before patting down her elaborate dress. One of her soldiers fetched the keys and she traced the dark stains on the wood with her eyes, spying the rusting bolts on the frame. Behind this very same door countless prisoners, mostly peasants, had wasted away. This cell had probably never held such a distinguished prisoner as the current occupant: Katarina’s husband and the former King of Diovasille. The heavy latch unlocked with a loud metallic clunk, and one of ...

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“Timeless” by Mandy McCool

Submitted to Contest #81

Do you believe in a love that transcends time? Well then, you are in luck! This is a tale about a love that has bloomed across many lifetimes, becoming stronger with every sunrise and sunset. In total, our fated lovers have found each other in the midst of six different lives that span different times and places. It wasn’t a simple feat, mind you. There were always obstacles that stood in the way to keep the two separate. Yet in the end, they would find each other and the memories of their shared pasts would return as if told in a fairytale....

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$50

Prize money

916

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 19, 2021 EST

Won by Molly Quinnell 🏆

Title: Golden Cheekbones and the Rising Sun

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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