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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

“After parting” by وداد أكرم

Submitted to Contest #81

Andrea was busy processing the client file that the manager ordered her to, and while she was checking that paper she could almost read, she caught the attention of one of the clients. "Is it reasonable that it is, no no that is not possible, maybe the similarity of names is not only ."Andrea is united with himself. Curiosity seized her and she preferred to check it out herself, so she got the client's full file. "Sean Freddie , Sean Freddie."Andrea. "Andrea, have you finished the list , I have to check it out and immediately."Johnso...

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“Forget Me Not (Or Remember Me Later)” by Katie H

Submitted to Contest #81

Amidst the hazy blue of water, all Mirielle could see was the tendrils of her ginger orange hair and the fading sunlight that filtered above her. Desperately trying to hold her breath, she attempted to swim upwards towards the light, reaching out to anything that could help her. Believing her efforts to be in vain, she had just begun to give up, closing her eyes in resignation…until she heard a voice call her name. Mirielle’s eyes snapped open to see a blurry figure staring down at her from the light above, and a ferocious vigor was reborn w...

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“Im sorry, I don't seem to know you” by Marley Davies

Submitted to Contest #81

“Lucy… Lucy, please remember that you are in trigonometry not your dreams”Mr. Kudfelt said as I was brought out of my very lovely day dream. I felt the eyes of every person in my 3rd period class, including Mathew McLain who was absolutely the hottest boy that I had ever laid my eyes on. “I'm sorry Mr. Kudfelt, by the way the answer was cos(9)” I said feeling my face become very very red. Today had been particularly difficult to focus because it was Valentine's day and love was in the air. Walking through the hallways of ...

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“Remember Me” by Rebecca Fitzgerald

Submitted to Contest #81

With a trembling hand, I reach for my cell phone deep within my worn tote. Pockets stretched to their limits over the years with bottles, toys, books, and diapers. But the bag worked. There was no need for leather or on-brand bags anymore. A stark difference from what I thought I needed before my life as a mother. I squeeze the cool to my touch cell phone and slide it up my leg closer to my chest. I never take my eyes off of him. How could I? His face, after all these years, has accompanied me in most of my dreams good or bad. Some days I ...

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“The Empty Shell” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #81

Finally, after having a sad but hectic week, the funeral finished. The undertakers did a proper job in a short time. Her body was cremated, and her ash, left in a stylish urn and later placed in a tiny vault in an apartment-like tombs block at the cemetery. It was then ornamented with a golden plate, with her name carved on it with superb penmanship. That tomb became her final resting place. A place for the family and friends to gather, to remember her, and show their respects. Many of their family members and friends gathered at the f...

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“Do You Remember Me?” by Leslie Flemons

Submitted to Contest #81

Ramon remembered how he felt when he met Kelsey. Kelsey Dallas. She wasn’t your typical blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. She was that girl who wasn’t afraid to go all natural with her hair. Her rich brown skin glowing, making the room shine. He reminisced how they played in the mud together as if they were pigs and chased each other with squirt guns. The boys would tease him for hanging around with a girl. But he didn’t care. To him, Kelsey was more than just a girl.Then he saw her - at Carley’s Coffee Shop. She didn’t look likeshe used to. Wh...

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“A Love Forgotten” by Maryann Hammond

Submitted to Contest #81

I had finally worked up the courage to ask her. This was my chance to ask her to the dance tomorrow night. Of course, we'd have to assume she hasn't been asked yet; and considering she is the prettiest and most popular girl in school, i highly doubt it. she was right in front of me as she walked home from school. I wasn't following her; rather, we've lived across the street from each other for the past six years. I've always liked her, and today was finally a great chance to show her my feelings. I ran up beside her and was about to open my ...

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“Lost Moment” by Avani Mitra

Submitted to Contest #81

Layla brushed her fingertips over the photo on her corkboard and smiled. Her corkboard, like most teenagers, was covered in photos, admissions tickets, anything that added to the collection of memories that made her happy. Images of beach days, silly faces, family, friends, and nature-filled the board. But only memories with one person mattered the most to her. When she looked at the board and saw memories with her best friend Jake, her heart did a flip-flop. Jake had crawled his way into her heart from being a shy nobody to her best friend ...

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“Have We Met?” by Heather Ann Martinez

Submitted to Contest #81

Have We Met? By Heather Ann Martinez There are times in our lives when days turn to weeks and we do not notice that a handful of years became decades in the blink of an eye. Aryan never forgot Zara. He saw her in the constellations in the night skies. He sat behind her in math class throughout their elementary school years. He picked her every time in physical education classes well into middle school. He would say her smile was infectious. She always had a kind word. She rarely got upset and never saw her cry. Aryan was taken aback no...

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“Oil & Water” by Adwoa Elizabeth

Submitted to Contest #81

In 2008, 36 students graduated from Bridgeport High School. That year, the graduating class included Valedictorian Lynette Smith III and Peter Williams. Lynette’s speech that day was the culmination of years of hard work. As she stood at the worn wooden podium, her voice booming across the auditorium, Lynette detailed countless nights spent studying and the sacrifices that led to that moment. Somewhere in the same packed auditorium on an uncomfortable plastic chair, Peter smiled, scrawling her name on the corner of his co...

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“Death brought us back ” by Kortne Noe

Submitted to Contest #81

My name is Zylie, Cooper this is my story about how my twin brother brought me back to my childhood home. I wanna start out with how my brother dying, he was in a horrible car wreak was raining ,and dark he just got off a midnight shift. Zade, Blackship, died February, 12th, twenty -nineteenth , had his funeral on valentine's day morning ,not how you expect to spend valentine's day. Watching his wife,and two kids crying over his casket, Lily,his wife ,Zoey and Joey his son and daughter sobbing away. Them sobbing over my brother like that ...

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“Bittersweet Reunion [Shortened Version]” by Katie H

Submitted to Contest #81

It was just another day for Lunessa at the bookstore she co-owned and worked at with her friend, Novalie, although this particular day had been a bit slower than usual. A sigh escaping from her slightly parted lips, she decided to close the book that she had been reading to pass the time and put it back in its place below the countertop where she stood. Although she had her mother’s knack for putting the store’s books back in their place (as her mother had previously owned the place), she didn’t have the drive to put it back on the shelf onl...

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“Irises” by AntiSocial Fred

Submitted to Contest #81

CW: abuse, death I’m sorry that it’s been so long since my last letter, but I’ve had a lot of my mind. I wanted this one to have more content than just a slew of scribbles going into self-pity and apologies. It’s May, which means the seniors just had their dance, so I believe it’s the perfect time to get this off my chest. I know this can’t change the past or how you feel, but I hope this will at least help put this whole episode to rest. When I was eight years old, your father started coming over and spending way too much time with my mothe...

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“Life is all about second chances” by Labonya Biswas Susmi

Submitted to Contest #81

I love you today As I have from the start And I’ll love you forever With all of my heart I make a rhythmless poem of my own as I walk down the street sloppily and almost bump into a white Mazda car. The driver’s eyes go narrow, no doubt from the effort not to say out loud the hateful words he’s spewing at me in his head. Unexpectedly he decides to let me go away only by shooting murderous glimpse and proceeds toward his destination. I’m actually way too busy planning my 1st anniversary with Brad rather than how that man was planning to blow ...

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“8th Inning Baseball” by William Bushey

Submitted to Contest #81

8th Inning Baseball MARP MARP MARP MARP, my alarm cut the sweet sleep that had graced me from consciousness for about 4 hours. The clock reads 4 p.m. that leaves me about 3 hours till I go back to sleep. Guess I can get my stuff done, but then again, what does it matter, nothing really matters. I guess I could at least make something to eat. I drag my limbs from their dormant positions on my bed. I’m a little tired of the way that most of what I eat is just microwave junk. How could it go from me making amazing meals diminish to th...

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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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