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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 – 158 stories

Stories

“'Till We're Old and Grey” by Anne Ryan

Submitted to Contest #81

Michelle chewed nervously on her cinnamon gum, making her appear the epitome of a gum-chewing waitress. He wasn’t here yet. Probably as soon as he saw her frizzled hair and post-shift attire, he would turn right around and walk out. Michelle had been chatting with a man from her area online at the dating service “WinkMe” and agreed to meet him in person. Originally, they planned to meet at Rizolini’s downtown, eat some spicy-sweet basil pomodoro with a side of crunchy pane ...

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“Drum beat, heartbeat” by David Nutt

Submitted to Contest #81

Word count 2,668 Drum beat, heartbeat. It would soon be his eighteenth birthday. His parents had promised him a new drum set. He ...

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“A Night to (Dis)member” by Kelita Sim

Submitted to Contest #81

The drain had been blocked for two hours, but after the third she’d managed to clear it.She fell back, stood up over the basin and waited.It had congealed but finally it caught suction, slurping away.The cleaning fluid she’d used tempted her sinuses, but her eyes were already starting to dry.When she was sure it was all gone, she stripped and stood under a warm stream.In the shower, the residue was scrubbed off of her body. It clung to the creases in her hands and the beds of her nails, but it came away.Exiting the bathroom, she bagged the s...

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“Pleasant Job” by Rachel Lynn McGuire

Submitted to Contest #81

"The art museum was a lovely choice for a place to meetup," Becca said with a charming smile. Vaughn did feel charmed. He was nervous, but Becca seemed so confident. She had agreed to be there with him, hadn't she? There was no reason to be nervous, he told himself. "Yeah, I come here all the time," Vaughn said. "I don't actually know anything about art, but it makes for a pleasant atmosphere." Becca giggled, and Vaughn's ears got hot. "I don't know much about art, either, but I like the way it makes me feel," She...

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“THE SURPRISE WAS VERY DOUBLE” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #81

THE SURPRISE WAS VERY DOUBLE Friedrich and Lily had met on a dating chat for adults looking for a partner. They had chatted for more than a month every day, talking about their life, about their interests or passions, they had been happy to discover ( to learn) that they shared several of them. Both Friedrich and Lily loved animals, above all they loved cats, both of them loved music, especially Mozart music. Both Friedrich and Lily loved traveling and getting to know other countries, but also to find out unknown places w...

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“His Hidden Mystery” by Rica Navarro

Submitted to Contest #81

I'm a 23 years old lady who hasn't had a relationship before. I hesitate at first when my friend told me to use a dating app but part of me was curious about how does it felt like talking to a total stranger. On my first try, I met a guy who has the same hobby as mine. He said that he likes the mystery genre whether a book or a movie. He also said that he loves deciphering codes. Both of us like the thrill and excitement while unraveling the hidden things our world has. That day, we both knew that this conversation might continue for a while...

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“All I Want” by Rethabile Ntsane

Submitted to Contest #81

“I can’t do it, it’s wrong. Can you imagine how much pain it’ll put him through? Ashley, no, listen to yourself! I can’t be selfish!” She almost lied to herself, she was a very selfish person, and for some reason, eerie reason, she just couldn’t handle the thought of being selfish towards him. “I have to go. I’ve got to go to work.” She mumbled, mind scattered and heart hammering against her chest. She hurriedly ended the call without waiting for a goodbye. She didn’t need Ashley to try and convince her out of her plan. She didn’t need anoth...

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“The Perfectly Flawed Date” by Isabelle Saadatmand

Submitted to Contest #81

Even when I was a kid, Valentine’s day was my favorite holiday. Now I’m all grown up, and today has to be perfect. I have great plans for the day, and it all starts with shopping. First, I have to get roses. Almost everywhere is sold out, the grocery stores are all empty and the lines at the florists tell me I won’t be able to get any there. If they aren’t sold out already, they will be by the time I even get inside. Where else can I go? I remember a small garden about half an hour outside of the city that...

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“A Secret!” by Sakti Bagchi

Submitted to Contest #81

The hustle-bustle of the mall looks fantastic after a year-long lockdown due to the pandemic. The crowd and noise that was irritating earlier now feel good. Feels good that we are back to normal. Three kids passed running on the floor, caring little about the crowd. They looked so happy. They were going up and down through the escalators, talking to strangers, and finally stopped near an ice-cream stall. Suddenly my attention went to the lady in a black dress standing at the stall. She looked familiar. The way kids were speaking with her, ...

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“Humoring Fate” by AXY Grace

Submitted to Contest #81

God played a joke on me that day. What do I mean? Now let me say.When I woke up that morning the sky was grey. But the sun was still shining from behind the puffy voluminous clouds. There’s not yet hint of rain. I put on my coat and went for a walk in the cold. Along the street I came across this boy. He and his friends were all waiting at the bus stop. Two things about him caught my eye. First, he was laughing cheerily on this gloomy day. Second, I think I’d seen him somewhere before.We boarded the same bus. I couldn’t help but stole a look...

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“Remembering the Past” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #81

It had been nearly thirty years since Jacob had been back in his hometown. Winterville was one of those towns that seemed to remain timeless. As he drove down Main Street and passed Andy’s Barbershop, it felt like he was a teenager again. Andy cut Jacob’s hair since he was a kid, but the last time he saw Andy, was the day before his high school graduation. &n...

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“C H A I N E D. For life?” by Vibes Blossom

Submitted to Contest #81

In torn denim jeans and a white crop top, Bella ran on the green bordered street maniacally with a werewolf-like dog chasing her. Her charcoal-textured hair whipped up and down like a famished dog wagging its tail. She kept on slyly glancing at the dog to ‘check him out’. Syrupy drool licked out of his huge mouth and fell like an opaque raindrop against the road. His black, velvety coat was lacquered with sparking droplets of sapphire paint that kept on triggering agitation on the dog’s skin. It’s sinewy build swapped forelegs and back leg...

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“I Want To Kiss You” by Shirley Hope

Submitted to Contest #81

Maria was hurrying home because she did not want to miss her favorite reality program. It wasn't so much the program that she liked as the co-hosts, two handsome, talented successful men, one of the hosts, Fernando, was a young man that had grown up in the same city as Maria, in fact, they had attended the same schools and even dated a couple of times in high school but had never formed a serious relationship. After high school, their paths had gone in different directions. Fernando attended an ivy league college and received his degree in...

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“A Tea Cup Of Love” by Sreedevi Mahapatra

Submitted to Contest #81

With a heavy steel canister in one hand, paper cups in pocket of his brown apron, running faster then the train, like lightning , Kirtan, ‘the chaiwala’ entered coach number three of the Express train which had arrived almost at the wee hours. “ Chai, masala chai, tea “ saying in loud voice Kirtan moved along the wooden seats in the compartment coaxing people to drink their first cup of tea. Most of the passengers were still sleeping and only few were awake. The train had just left the station and the next ...

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“The Lyndian” by Francis Perez

Submitted to Contest #81

Today is the day. Today is the day Trudi asks out Tonisha. She can feel it in her every atom while she brushes her teeth, while she slips on her new hose, while she slips into her favorite dress. The dress she wears to job interviews and weddings because it makes her feel both powerful and fierce. She applies her burgundy lipstick and blots it on a tissue which she discards in her bathroom wastebasket. One more quick look in the mirror and she grabs her purse and umbrella heading out the door. The whole ride downtown on the bus, she practic...

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$50

Prize money

915

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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