Write a story about two characters who like each other but don’t get a happily-ever-after.

Posted in Romance on Sep 22, 2023

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✍️ 91 stories

“Of Lost Moments and Love” by Esmeralda M Kelly

Submitted to Contest #217

Elara traced the intricate design of the bottle with her fingertips, reminiscing about the day she had gifted it to Paolo. It was during a trip to Paris, in a quaint boutique perfumery nestled in the heart of the city. She remembered the shopkeeper's description of the cologne, how it was reminiscent of a timeless era, a scent crafted for men who carried an old-world charm with a touch of modern allure. It was Paolo to the tee.The memories swelled up, almost tangible in their intensity. The Eiffel Tower's twinkling lights, the soft strumming...

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“The Lilac Beauty” by Ainsley L

Submitted to Contest #217

I stood there so still, so quiet, waiting for him to leave. I could see him walking around the apartment through a very tiny hole in the wall. I stood between two walls waiting for my fate. Would I live to see another day, or would the Nazi find my hiding spot? Would he see the hidden doorknob? Could he hear me breathing? I could feel my heart in my throat pumping louder than the bombs from the night before. There was a strong ringing in my ear as if someone shot a gun behind my head. He turned around. His big boots shook the apartment with ...

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“TragicHearts” by Daniel Ybarra

Submitted to Contest #217

In the coolness of the night two tragic hearts intertwine trying to be entangled for all time. So many wounds to heal and mend, but there's no one close not even a friend. Trying to understand the atrocities of loveless pleasure infecting all of society. Tears fall some seen and unseen two tragic hearts living in this nightmare hoping it's just a dream. Hugs and kisses and embracing the warmth of another fractured soul comforts enough to Hope. Oh it would cost we have all paid, enduring the loss of mistakes made. To tragic hearts afraid to l...

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“Answer to Closure” by Walter Wright

Submitted to Contest #217

What do I do it all for? Jeffrey patted his hair and aired out his dress shirt, unbuttoning the top button. A young valet routinely held the door open and greeted the sophisticated gentleman. “Good evening!” Peach fuzz for a mustache and a brush of pimples over his cheeks, Jeffrey shook the boy’s hand, “I know the miles, my guy. No funny business.” The valet, realizing the blue bill in his right hand, ensured direct eye contact, “Of course! I’ll park you right out front!” Jeffrey nodded and walked through the revolving door. ...

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“An Ode to A RETIRED Dragon Slayer” by Thomas Moon

Submitted to Contest #217

It was a quiet afternoon in 1936. But from the looks of things—dark clouds and all—the Dales of Central England would soon be getting a drenching! Reginald Peachy Carnehan—retired from service in India moved back to the family residence he inherited; in the Dales of Central England. After twenty-five years of keeping the peace in India...and a wild adventure in conquering a few smaller kingdoms—then making the mistake of letting his friend, Daniel Dravot talk him into helping to conquer the tiny kingdom of Kaf...

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“The Ill Fated - an episode in the lives of the Soul Shifters.” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #217

Katy looked her brother in the eyes, hoping to get a response. After two songs still no glimmer of recognition. Had the amnesia been so severe, or was this Gaby, not the Matthew she believed him to be? She started her third and final song for the evening. The candles’ flames flickered and danced with the firelight that lit up the sitting room.By the water I went walkingLooking for my own true loveI heard his voice call from the depthsOr was it from above?It could have been a memory dearFrom deep within my mindIf I can’t be with you in this l...

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“A Breeze” by Atanas Zhekov

Submitted to Contest #217

Do you feel the breeze? It reminds me of you. Not because you were cold yourself - no! But because I felt it when we first met. I had recently moved to London for my placement year. Living here had always been my dream and I had finally come true. Even if I was staying just for a year. I rented a flat in Canary Wharf. It was a rather small flat but it had a big window with a view over the city. Seeing everything so little in the distance, made me feel big, like I actually matter. I loved London's architecture. I look at history as...

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“Cynthia Eleanor Goes Dancing” by Wendy Lathrop

Submitted to Contest #217

Prince Charming looked down at the size 6-1/2, stiletto-heeled pump sparkling teasingly up from his hand and shook his head in despair. Now at the last cottage in the village, he had failed in his quest to find the female foot perfectly fitting into this shoe. Would he ever find his lovely dance partner of the last two evenings? Whoever she was, she could pirouette from tango to waltz, glide from polka to disco, sway from swing to salsa. And she was light enough on her feet never to have cracked this glass shoe. He was sure he was in love, h...

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“Haunting of the Heart” by Mardy Dooley

Submitted to Contest #217

Haunting of the Heart The forceful waves splashed against the rocks below me. I could feel the cool spray reach up to my bare feet and taste the salty residue in the air. Despite the early hour of the afternoon, the sky was already darkening. Its blue flawlessly being dominated by heavy, gray storm clouds. “Hi Annie.” Tim sat down on the damp rock beside me, leaning over to place a soft kiss on my cheek. As usual I hadn’t heard his approach until he was at my side. “Hey Timmy.” I glanced at my watch, not at all sur...

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“The cage” by Africa Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #217

The Cage The rust on the white cage looked like dried blood. - “Is the little bird hurt grandma?”- the wide-eyed girl said as a small gray bird chirped inside the cage. - “No, it is not sweetie… but I was”- The girl did not understand. “-Now I´ll set it free and the little bird and me, we’ll both be fine”- Eva still didn´t understand what her grandma was talking about, why does she catch birds and then set them free? What was the point? Her grandma was always smiling and looked nice and happy, Eva wished she was like her grandmot...

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“Secrets and Love Don’t Mix” by Robin Christine Honigsberg

Submitted to Contest #217

Lara Matthews was wearing down the fluffy white carpeting in her family room as she paced back and forth, alternating between drinking her white wine and checking the time on her gold-and-silver Cartier watch. Refilling her wine glass, she contemplated the task ahead of her that night. She needed to talk to her fiance, Richard Plant. High school sweethearts, Lara knew Richard would be the man she would marry the moment their eyes connected the first day of Junior High. Everyone knew they were meant for each other and teased they were...

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“Unloved Island” by Simon Kent

Submitted to Contest #217

“To us,” she said. “To us,” he smiled and they clinked their glasses. The sun dipped slowly towards the sea-lined horizon as Isabel and Gavin lost themselves in each others eyes, semi-fuzzed and slightly misted by their half-sipped cocktails. It had been an eventful day. In the space of eight hours they’d arrived, met each other – along with their co-island inhabitants – and orientated themselves around this near-perfect location. Everything was as exceptional as promised. The rooms, the kitchen area, restaurant, bar, social faci...

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“Alien Love” by Jfs Sevin

Submitted to Contest #217

My neighbors are aliens. No, not the foreigners from Mexico or Germany but from somewhere else. Somewhere that we've never been. The Gordon family moved in next door in my junior year of college. I think I was twenty-three then. Tommy and I went over to see if we could lend a hand. That was the first time that I met Carla. Being fresh off of a break-up I didn.t believe in love at first sight until that very moment. She was a natural beauty with thick auburn hair, mesmerizing eyes and a laugh that was contagious. As we unloaded the U-Haul tru...

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“A Trace of Love” by Will Johnson

Submitted to Contest #217

A Trace of LoveBefore my castration – years before – I fell in love with a girl.I was fifteen, she was sixteen, a prefect (a short step from perfect, which I thought she was). I was on my way to Biology - I wanted to get there, because I liked Biology - and she stopped me at the top of the Science corridor. She tapped her prefect badge, which sat on the rise of her left breast, and said, “Science corridor's one way now, new rule.”I looked over her shoulder through the glass of the new double doors. The corridor was empty. We were the same he...

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“Firefly Girls” by Sydney Sullivan

Submitted to Contest #217

We plan a sleepover together, a secret between the two of us. We go, to a home neither one of us belong in but one of us inhabits, dreaming of the girlhood that awaits. You imagine a pillow fight, and I, a make-believe scene where it’s the two of us against the world and there we are in the center of it. We are much too old for our past loves; the fairies in the yard have packed up and gone, and I’ve misplaced the jar for collecting fireflies at dusk. There’s no need for magic, I say, and after all don’t you feel how time stops every...

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Write a story about two characters who like each other but don’t get a happily-ever-after.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 91 stories

“Of Lost Moments and Love” by Esmeralda M Kelly

“The Lilac Beauty” by Ainsley L

“TragicHearts” by Daniel Ybarra

“Answer to Closure” by Walter Wright

“An Ode to A RETIRED Dragon Slayer” by Thomas Moon

“The Ill Fated - an episode in the lives of the Soul Shifters.” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

“A Breeze” by Atanas Zhekov

“Cynthia Eleanor Goes Dancing” by Wendy Lathrop

“Haunting of the Heart” by Mardy Dooley

“The cage” by Africa Rodriguez

“Secrets and Love Don’t Mix” by Robin Christine Honigsberg

“Unloved Island” by Simon Kent

“Alien Love” by Jfs Sevin

“A Trace of Love” by Will Johnson

“Firefly Girls” by Sydney Sullivan

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a creepy mansion — except nothing horrifying takes place in it.

Write about a person who's been called to mentor someone in a special skill, but doesn't really want to.

Write about a sleuth who’s a little too keen, but not because they have a traumatic past they won’t talk about.

Write a story about a warrior who doesn’t want to kill the dragon.

Contest #217

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

130

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: