Menu

Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog
Directory
Contests
Magazine
FAQ

Write a story that includes the line “I can’t believe we’re arguing over this.”

Posted in High School on Oct 31, 2022

Submissions are closed

Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy account.

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook

Or use an email address:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 60 stories

Both Sides of the Argument in Two Parts

Submitted to Contest #153

Pig FightI can’t believe we’re arguing over this! Conventional wisdom usually dictates two arguments to support its age-old rationale regarding why one should never fight with a pig. The first reason proclaims that if you fight with a pig you’re going to get dirty. The second one decrees that the pig’s going to be the only one who really enjoys it. But I have a third reason which I’d love to share with you. Are you ready for it? Okay, here it is. For me, the most clearly sane line of logic is that you never want to fight a pig because those...

68 likes 43 comments 43
Read story

The Thing About Ava

Shortlisted for Contest #153 ⭐️

“I can’t believe we’re arguing about this.” I said to my husband under my breath hoping our 4-year-old daughter sitting a few feet away couldn’t hear. She was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen when she was born. Of course, I’m sure every mom thinks that; especially after giving birth, all hopped up on adrenaline, and completely exhausted. Looking into her tiny face with huge blue eyes and already a good amount of dark hair, I promised I would take care of her and love her until the end of time. Ava did everything early. Sitting up, cr...

39 likes 29 comments 29
Read story

The Family Jewels

Submitted to Contest #153

     “I can’t believe we’re arguing over this. You know the law gave me the right to make this decision.”     “But, Mom. I can make my own decisions. It’s my life.”    That’s how the conversation went between us for years. The day finally came when we could put the argument behind us.    Just like every morning since my wedding day, I checked the safe for my family’s most prized possessions. After updating the camera and coordinating the app on my phone, I breathed a ...

35 likes 30 comments 30
Read story

You're Just So Intolerant

Submitted to Contest #153

Content warning: this story contains allergens!"I've thought about it, and it's chocolate.""Well that sounds good to me. Thought about what?""What you asked me earlier. Chocolate, it's a universal panacea.""I didn't ask 'what?' is a universal panacea. I asked 'what is?' a universal panacea. It's all in the inflection and the emphasis.""Oh, well you obviously inflected in the wrong place. That's so you. Nice pyjamas by the way. Are you comfy?""Yes, thanks. I could have slept on the air-bed, I didn't mind. I like your jimjams too, cute little ...

33 likes 24 comments 24
Read story

Danielle the Dragon Slayer

Submitted to Contest #153

“I have to kill a dragon?” Danielle shook her head. She paced the granite flagstones of her tower.             “Your last challenge, little knight.” The god’s herald no longer called her that with venom. Obag Sleagh had admitted his respect for her. “You’ve done what I thought was impossible before.”             “I don’t know anything about dragons,” said the knight. Her green tabard was completely restored by the herald’s ...

26 likes 26 comments 26
Read story

Emperor, Do You Back The Coup?

Submitted to Contest #153

Isao’s youthful legs burned from kneeling since dawn. It wasn't acceptable to shift positions in front of the Emperor. In three years at the palace, the divine one had never spoken to him, yet had never complained about him either.The sovereign had been woken early to receive General Honjo and Minister Yuasa, who arrived with news of a coup. Soldiers filled with nationalistic fervor had mutinied and overrun the capital.The barrel chested General Honjo stood ramrod straight in a uniform covered with medals. He bellowed, “The Righteous Battali...

22 likes 19 comments 19
Read story

The Small-timers

Submitted to Contest #153

CW: Language, violenceThey had an inkling something was not right when the bundle didn’t bleat. But it was dark and they were a bit drunk. And desperate. Now, under a lush tamarind tree close to the hills and far from the village, they were jolted into sobriety and daylight by the tiny human in the bundle.Rarely in their career spanning 10 years did they commit such blunders. They had occasionally bagged an earthen pot mistaking it to be an ash gourd or heaved a sackful of cow dung cakes believing them to be potatoes. But carrying a human ki...

22 likes 15 comments 15
Read story

A Little Off the Nose

Shortlisted for Contest #153 ⭐️

Fiametta clenched the linen sheet draped around the painting. Where in God’s name was he, she thought – or rather, His Excellency? Out of the corner of her eye, Fiametta could just spot her manager, Signore Giulio, glancing at his pocket watch. Fifteen minutes after noon had come and gone. Though His Excellency had demanded that Fiametta complete the portrait in a bare two weeks, it seemed that Bishop Antonio Cipriani took a more leisurely view of his own time. Fiametta sighed as her brown eyes wandered to the quadro riportato artwork over...

20 likes 13 comments 13
Read story

The Carnival

Submitted to Contest #153

Scene 1 Stubbed toe. Lost wallet. Bad haircut. Surprise test. Traffic. Dropped phone. Snapped guitar string. Flat tire. Leaky water bottle. Burnt bacon. Black cat. Broken mirror. Bad luck. Unfortunate events that couldn’t be predicted, or prevented. They just happen suddenly, like a boy breaking an arm, falling off a fence. His brother hitting a baseball into a window. Both getting a carpet burn running from their parents. And if priests were ever to say bad luck was bottled in a human, their fingers would point at Ares and Asher. Ares and A...

20 likes 4 comments 4
Read story

Sarah's Conundrum

Submitted to Contest #153

Sarah Lee is fuming. Not only does she share a name with a multinational dessert company whose motto is "Always in Season," but she is having another spat with her boyfriend - these arguments seem to be perennial in nature. "I can’t believe we’re arguing over this again, Foley," Sarah says to a man she has known for close to ten years.   Sarah Lee has not had an easy life. As children, her parents escaped China with their families after the Communist revolution of 1949. After having an arranged marriage, Danny a...

18 likes 22 comments 22
Read story

Therapy

Submitted to Contest #153

“You’re late. I can’t believe you’re late again. Why am I not surprised?” “What the big deal? She’s not even ready for us. She’s still with the appointment ahead of us.” “You were late last time.” “Yes, I’m late--again. We do need to cover the cost of these sessions. Not to mention everything else we spend money on. I can’t believe we’re arguing over this!” “I know this is expensive, I understand that. But if this relationship were important to you, if I were important to you, I’d think you’d try to arrive on time.” “I do the best I can. Ca...

16 likes 8 comments 8
Read story

Dollymops

Submitted to Contest #153

(Content Warning: Mentions of death and prostitution.)The whores of London affected the lives of every woman in Victorian England in one way or another. Susan Merrick might have joined their ranks had she not been born into circumstances so fortunate.Throughout her childhood, she was prejudiced against the dollymops by her mother, whose main objection seemed to be their showy outfits. Her mother cast the strumpets in a particularly unsympathetic light; ensuring that Susie would never wind up like them.Because Susie never needed to work, she ...

15 likes 13 comments 13
Read story

Control Issues

Submitted to Contest #153

Brian was already at the terminal in the living room and editing the schedule when Tobias walked in from his room. “And just what do you think you’re doing?”, Tobias asked, knowing very well what Brian was doing. “I’m organizing the schedule. I’m done arguing about who gets Marvin when, so I’m giving us each the appropriate time.” Brian said as he continued typing, allocating days and times of use for the two of them. “And of course you’re not including me”, Tobias barked before nearly pushing Brian out of his seat to look at the schedule. A...

15 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

The Age of Migraine Medicine

Submitted to Contest #153

“Detective Kinslee, you have a visitor,” Sadie’s soft voice said over the telephone. Jain rubbed her eyes. The clock in the corner of her screen read ten o’clock a.m. No wonder she was getting a headache. She had been staring at this case file since she came in two hours ago. “Who is it?” “A Mrs. Ella Hines,” Sadie said. “She’s here with information on the Hebert Hines case.” Hebert Hines, the man who was allegedly shot while tacking 4th of July bunting on the eaves of his house three days ago. He was her first homicide case since being...

14 likes 3 comments 3
Read story

Hotel Cushions

Submitted to Contest #153

CW: In comment section  September 9th, Christine Maurie’s dress was her mother’s with the seams loosened, but no one needed to know that apart from them. Ma had said that through gritted teeth the first time Maurie had tried it on. Maurie hadn’t mentioned the Coty stain on them, right above the chip. It was the same colour as the wine stain she’d gotten on the dress about an hour ago, and the blood stain she’d gotten on her new especially for the day knickers the moment she’d tried them on. (Ma wouldn’t let her wear t...

14 likes 9 comments 9
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character learning to stand up for themselves.

Character – 48 stories

Write about a character trying to heal an old rift.

Sad – 42 stories

Write a story about two characters who have been fighting for so long, they can’t remember what started it.

Sad – 27 stories

Write about a character who settles disputes for a living (a judge, mediator, school counselor, etc).

Middle School – 36 stories

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

How to Write a Novel