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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

“For Better or Worse” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

The water was scalding, but Ruth hardly noticed. She was focused on the recycling bin in the corner of the kitchen, her hands mechanically and blindly scrubbing.Peeking out of the overflowing bin were cheap beer cans, flimsy plastic vodka bottles, and spiced rum. Half my pay check, right there, Ruth grumbled. She dumped another stack of dishes into the sink, soapy water slopping over the sides and splashing her shirt. Her hand caught on broken glass, slicing cleanly into her thumb. She swore under her breath and grabbed a dishtowel to wrap h...

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“Strawberry.” by Evi K

Submitted to Contest #81

I looked down at my sneakers and waved my skirt around. "This is so dumb", I kept telling myself. I'd been waiting for Jo for at least 20 minutes now. She wasn't late, I just wanted to make sure I'd be really early. The time was 11:59 am. We'd arranged to meet at 12:00 pm, exactly outside the St James park. She'd be here any moment now, and that really made me nervous. I could feel my heartbeat get faster and my palms getting slightly sweatier. As my mind kept pondering on the fact that I would finally meet the person I'd been chatting w...

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“If The Sun Rose” by Grace Lawrence

Submitted to Contest #81

It was some time before she reawoke to the world around her. She blinked, and the world slowly swam into focus, colors beginning to seep into her aching eyes. She tried to uncross her legs and winced at the unbearable prickling that rushed over her feet. A thousand needles, scorching like fire in her sluggish flesh. So, her feet had fallen asleep. How long, then, had she been sitting here? And more importantly, why? She closed her eyes again, trying to sink back into the oblivion that had held her for so long. Blackness was in...

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“Faith, Untranslated ” by Zinnia Hansen

Submitted to Contest #81

The shade grew with the sun. Under the big thick leaves, it became something solid. The line between insistent energy and gentle dark turned bold. I lay with her on the grass, exhausted. Dry tears hung in my eyes like long evaporated dew. She held my hand, squeezing it tight. We didn't want to look at the sun. We didn't want to move into the shade. We wanted to be free.She still wore a sweater, despite the heat. It had been cold that morning. But the bright afternoon sun had burned away the fragile cool. We had lingered until the hours and c...

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“Dinner for Two, Forever” by Lauren Ford

Submitted to Contest #81

Dishes clanged in the kitchen as he prepared the meal. She always loved his pasta. She never really wanted a fancy dinner date, instead every year she just asked for him to make some of his special pasta. He had never told her, but the sauce was store bought. He always had to take out the trash to hide the can of pasta sauce. At first he was too embarrassed to admit the truth, but then it became kind of a fun game to see how long it would go on. Plus, he kind of liked that she was so impressed with his culinary prowess. From his post...

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“Maplehill” by Cheryl Fulks

Submitted to Contest #81

Marianna tosses and turns in her sleep as the dreams she experiences nightly cascade before her eyes. She sees the house she shared with Anthony from a distance as she drives up Maplehill Drive. Although, she doesn't live there anymore, something keeps drawing her back. Is she missing the house and her old life or is her subconscious not letting go of her past?Drenched in a cold sweat, Marianna wakes up once again and vaguely remembers what she experienced. Melatonin and sleeping pills won't give her a peaceful sleep, and...

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“With You Again” by Maria Korina Lopez

Submitted to Contest #81

I am Guatemala Louise and I am a fresh graduate of BA English Language and I didn’t expect that entering the adult world is too hard. These past few days I am really exhausted because no one still hired me and it’s been 2 months since I graduated and came back here in the Philippines. I am now running out of time if still did not hired this month, my Mom will come at me and she will let me handle our business instead but I don’t want it, I want to become independent and while I am resting here in the rest area, my past clouded my mind again....

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“Till death us do part” by NK Hatendi

Submitted to Contest #81

Sekuru and Mbuya's routine had changed very little since their wedding on April Fools Day in 1961. Their Diamond Jubilee celebration had snuck upon them. The whole family had kept the secret. So when the couple were told to dress in their Sunday best for a ride that afternoon, they envisaged a few drinks, perhaps a dinner at a nearby restaurant and then back home. They didn't expect to be going to a five-star hotel on the outskirts of town.They knew something was up when they were greeted in the hotel reception area by very excited grandchil...

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“Not the Type” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #81

“Please move.”There are two types of people, the people you fall in love with. And the people you don’t. People you fall in love with are usually kind and humorous. Intelligent and good-looking. Good-natured. They had the boy/girl next door looks and were protective without being obsessive. They weren’t judgemental and dismissive, and they truly believed in humanity. They made you believe in humanity. You don’t fall in love with selfish pricks. Self-absorbed moody assholes. You don’t fall in love with the brainiac in a leather jack...

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“I Give My Heart To You” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #81

Rita worked tirelessly preparing a romantic dinner for two. It was the first Valentine’s Day that she and Paul had spent together, and she wanted everything to be perfect. The night before, Rita and Paul had sat down and watched the classic Disney film, “Lady and the Tramp”, and she felt inspired by the spaghetti scene. She prepared the sauce from an old family recipe that her Grandmother had brought over from t...

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“Roses and Jewels” by 𝔸𝕓𝕚𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕝 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤 (♡𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓸𝓷 𝓒𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓭𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓰𝓮♡) (inactive For Summer)

Submitted to Contest #81

Julia laid out the soft plaid blanket, sewn by her own hands. She had pricked herself many times as thoughts of Rome flooded her mind, but she did not care. She took out some fresh bread from the nearby bakery, a plum tart, and Rome's favorite: strawberries. She sat daintily on the blanket, careful not to wrinkle her new dress. It had cost her a month's worth of wages, but it was the only garment of clothing she had that was not stained or torn. To distract her thoughts from roaming further, as they often did, she started organizing the ute...

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“Epoch Engagement” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #81

From the very foundations of the human race there’s been the idea of a union between a man and a woman in order to ensure the continuation of the species. Ancient texts give the first couple names: Adam and Eve. Fairly quickly, a social construct developed known as marriage, or a binding contract between a husband and a wife. Although this didn’t ensure fidelity, it no doubt promoted the production of children, and humankind thrived.For many centuries family elders would prearrange marriages to guarantee not only the continuation of family l...

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“The Chance To Run” by Grace Leah

Submitted to Contest #81

“You should have told me alcohol here was so cheap.” Jamie exaggeratedly slurs his words and I roll my eyes “It looks like you’ve already figured that out for yourself.” I snap back. “You remember we have to be up early, right? We’ve got to be at my parents at 7.” He dismisses me with a wave of his hand.“I’ll be there. But I bet once you start talking, you’ll be fine.” He leans up against the brick wall of the club, just a few feet away from the door. “You’re oversimplifying things again..” I avert my eyes and watch the people that come and ...

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“Broken Locks” by Aveena Bordeaux

Submitted to Contest #81

I hoped the prison was going to be adorned with roses, or frilly red streamers that dipped and curled along the concrete walls. Instead, in the gray and drab afternoon, a wilted balloon hung limp off a nearby street post.Almost everything was prohibited. I’d found that out after a two-minute google search with chocolates and a balloon bouquet already purchased. I set the box of his favorite truffles and wafers on the passenger seat and the cherry-colored balloons swayed in the trunk. The car ride had been quiet, music was off and thoughts lo...

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“Sludge” by Chris D

Submitted to Contest #81

It has to be her. He's in a diner, about an hour out from his hometown, nursing a cup of ice water, but there's no way it's not her. It's been seven years since graduation, and she looks the same as she did then. The cheerleading outfit has been switched out for a waitressing apron over blue jeans, sure, and there are bags under her eyes, but he'd bet his egg white omlette that it's her. He could spot those eyes a mile away. He stared at them every day in study hall senior year. It was his first class of the day. It wasn't like he had any ho...

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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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