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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

“Anpetuwi and Hanwi~The Sun and the Moon” by 💖♎ℂℍℝ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝕐 ℍ𝕆𝔽𝔽𝕄𝔸ℕℕ♎💖

Submitted to Contest #81

This is in no way a real Native American story, well at least I don't think it is. It is just my take on an age old story that has breached the walls of time. It has been told throughout cultures in many different ways and may be close to a Native American story. But this is My version. I hope you enjoy.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ehani… Long ago, there was a great Ahiyu, or chase. Hanwi, the moon was always chasing Anpetuwi, the sun. Hanwi was a great warrior for Wakan Tanka, The Great Spirit. He defended the night for Wakan Tanka...

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“Because the Night” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #81

The week before the first Coronavirus lockdown, a reverential hush fell upon the London offices of Urquhart, Treadwell and Ungar. They’d asked everyone to clear their desks, archive any paperwork, and make preparations to work from home. My stateside colleagues exited their offices three weeks ago and already there were transatlantic rumours about the end of city-based office work.I thought I’d achieved closure on my latest case three times in the last fortnight, but the defence kept challenging my calculation of damages. My client, Mrs Hasl...

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“Diana's Life Tips #77: "Denial" is the Best River to Swim In” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #81

Author’s note: This is part of the “Diana’s Life Tips” series where there’s an overarching plot, but each story is stand-alone with relevant information. Relevant information: Daemon is a demon Diana accidentally summoned. Diana accidentally stole a copy of a demon invasion plan. If they don’t stop it, Daemon could get drafted into a demon war and the human world could face serious repercussions. *** “Diana, are you in here?” Daemon asked? Shrieking answered Daemon and it wasn’t Diana’s. At least five girls chucked their backpacks with ...

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“SUBSTREAM” by Cole Lane

Submitted to Contest #81

Jim stokes the fire, the burst of warmth pushes back the night chill, the embers twinkle and flutter into the starlight. It is a beautiful night, like so many he had spent here with Samantha. Only tonight he is alone. Ding. It is a notification, battery 10%, I hope I don’t need that tonight. The world is quiet this far from everything, just the crackle of the fire and Jim’s thoughts of the last few days. It had been intense. Taking a small box out of his backpack, he opens it to find some bandages and disinfectant. H...

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“Orange Hearts” by Carrie S.

Submitted to Contest #81

I can still hear Grandpa. His final words, something telling me that he will watch over me forever. It always gives me chills, but good feelings at the same time. It, honestly, is kind of weird. But I get used to it. You’re going to die today. If not, you’ll screw something up so badly that your life goes beyond repair. I hear the thoughts whirring in my mind. It isn’t me thinking, though. I’ve nicknamed him Yob. He’s the anxiety and intrusive thoughts “ghost” that follows me around, whispering things into my ear like, What if you killed you...

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“Radishes” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #81

“Sir? Excuse me. Sir?” I blinked back the tears that were beginning to prick my eyes, causing the broccolis and carrots to judder and blur before me into a psychedelic haze. When I could trust my features not to betray my emotions to my interlocutor, I began to shuffle round. I was expecting someone of my height or taller, as was more often the case these days, due to my danged stoop. I only saw a row of cauliflower where a head ought to have been before I dropped my gaze to see concerned grey eyes peering up at me. “Y-yes?” I asked the...

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“The Blog of Mollie King. A Sixteen-Year-Old Human Mistake.” by Holly Gal

Submitted to Contest #81

MolliesMistakes posted 13th February, 11:23am: Taking one step inside, I freeze. Then hurry back outside again. I’ve been doing this for the past hour and to be honest, it feels like I’m on a never-ending teacup ride. So, it’s not that his teeth are so white they could put a pearl to shame, or that his hair reminds me of a molten, caramel bar. It’s not even that he’s handsome. A lot of people are handsome. It’s the fact that I already know how amazing he is. He’s already tasted my tongue and I’ve already scented his sweat. He’s already ...

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“After All These Years?” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

~ June 23, 2005 ~ “To thirty years of marriage,” Ginger toasted, holding up her teacup full of whisky to Jamie. “To thirty years,” Jamie echoed, his expression pure happiness. His eyes never left her face as he drained his cup.As Ginger drank, she thought to herself that Jamie didn’t look a day over fifty. That set her off giggling, but it was true. His tanned skin made her a little self conscious about her own wrinkled pallor, but Jamie never seemed to mind. She wasn’t as young as she’d used to be, it was true. Her once aubu...

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“Désabusée // Disenchanted” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

Angela began her junior year obsessed with Tony Spinelli, from the moment they'd been partnered together in French class. His Nikes had brushed against her Vans, and she’d felt a low hum of electricity that conjured up butterflies. She’d spent the class too flustered to conjugate her verbs properly, instead striking a balance between evading his gaze and covertly staring at him from beneath her bangs. He was undeniably beautiful. Her friends thought he was hot because of his dreamy smile and purposefully messy curls, but she fell in love wit...

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“Back to the Drawing Board” by Philip Hedges

Submitted to Contest #81

“Great art is created outside your comfort zone.” Mr. Ueno’s words echo in my head as I study the landscape through the window of the Keikyu express train towards Yokohama. Above the horizon, the sun, a dimly lit semicircle, shines light through a veil of grey clouds and onto the bleak, concrete landscape below. The pipes of the heavens are leaking. Among the odd industrial complex decorated with colorful banners, drab apartment buildings stream by. An arms length and two sets of windows separate me from the lives of complete strangers. Spri...

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“What A Pretty Sky” by Caitlin Moll

Submitted to Contest #81

February 12 Having so many schedules can be really the end of your life, figuratively speaking, I need a break. As a top student, I'm always studying or earning money by working at a near-by coffee shop as my part-time job, I just noticed that I don't have time for myself like I used to. It's been so long since I hang out with my friends or have the day all to myself. "Hey, can I take the day off tomorrow?" I asked my co-worker, my bestfriend in high school till now, college. "What for? You're gonna study for the whole day again, Juliet?" ...

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“The Food of Love” by Tanja Cilia

Submitted to Contest #81

love is a sandstorm undulating sand-dune sea a map is useless love is a marble hard glass encases a core that’s unreachable love is an onion it’s got a hundred layers and it makes you cry! love is a corner of the street or of a room; according to choice love is a cycle; flowers bloom, and then wither leaving seeds for more like unravelled wool love is so complicated not one end in sight I snapped my school diary shut. It wouldn’t do for Brown Cow to ask what I was scribbling – again! Heaven knows the stick I got when I said ...

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“Dug in Deep ” by Jay DMer

Submitted to Contest #81

This story is dedicated to a person I really care about. To F.A.L. You’re the Fabian to my Jamaralys. Love is so confusing and I hate it. I hate how in a certain period of time you spend with someone you barely know you can fall in love with them entirely. I hate how if a random, good-looking person, walks by you and smiles you can think they’re so gorgeous, but deep down they could potentially be the worst person in the world. I hate how you can talk to someone and know someone for about a month and can fall in love with them so quickly t...

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“Heart of Stone ” by Lily Rebecca 🐰🐾

Submitted to Contest #81

She placed her hands in his. Looking into his deep blue eyes she started to speak. “Do you remember the first time we met?” His eyes met hers and the moment seemed to last for eternity. “You know it doesn’t work out,” “I know, I wish though, you don’t know how much I wish,” “I wish for it too, more than anything,” “I love you so much, more than anything,” “I love you too,” They hold each other tightly in an embrace. More than anything, they wanted to be together. But they couldn’t. They always had a great time, but th...

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“Moments of Synchronicity” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #81

The goddamned, blasted old piece of shriveled wood creaked so damn loud that Bartholomeus half believed it would start a fire under his ass. That would be something. A rocking chair, starting a fire and burning an old man to death because he couldn’t get up and leave in time. Well, it didn’t sound that Lucilda’s chair was any better. The damned old thing was creaking just as loud, horribly out of sync with his own. What a devilishly accurate analogy to their marriage - terribly out of sync, just like these chairs. “Vanilla and hazelnut,” Bar...

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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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