Write a story about two people who aren't admitting their true feelings for one another, despite it being obvious to outsiders.

Posted in Romance on Jul 12, 2024

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✍️ 57 stories

“Zephyr” by Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #259

The wind blew my silk scarf onto the lawn. A fat raindrop splashed onto my left lens, and the bigger ones that fell chilled me to the bone. It was the first week in October, but the weather yo-yoed, mid-June hot one day, and mid-Winter frigid the next. This damn cold front made me want to curl up inside my house in front of a fire, reading and sipping hot chocolate. I hurried up the steps to Mom’s house and fumbled with the key in the lock when the door opened. “We weren’t expecting you tonight. Here, let me help you, Mary.” Miguel, my...

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“Felt but Unspoken” by Grant Fowler

Submitted to Contest #259

It finally clicked to me when I watched the bride walk away in tears and her friend helped her with the long silken cloth… It was her all this time…Sorry I lose myself when talking about it again…. It began summers ago when we were young ones, My friend, Lathlin, and Candace… Ex now because of what I did to her, but maybe for the best. We met in the end of middle school, where I met Lathlin and introduced her to Candace… I heard the excitement between them, and I was so happy to finally know I had a pair of friends to be with, it wasn’t exac...

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“A surprising Revelation” by Marie Marks

Submitted to Contest #259

The groans and grinding sounds of gears filled the air until both elevator doors opened and a gang of guys spilled out and filled the lobby entrance with boisterous laughter and raised smack talk. Hearing those sounds, Alice played it cool keeping her head down and buried in the book she was reading while working at the front desk of Delahoussaye dormitory, one of the male dorms on the university campus. “Man, these elevators gonna get us killed bruh, fo’sho,” Brian declared in his thick New Orleans accent stumbling out with the guys who...

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“The Elephant in the Waiting Room” by Robert Pyke

Submitted to Contest #259

“I had a very good reason for not answering your lousy email, and you know it! Who in her right mind would want another date with you?” That was the voice of Rona DiFranco over the phone. It sounded angry. But wasn’t it too strained to be dismissive? “But that was eleven years ago,” I replied, hoping she didn’t hear any desperation. “I was stupid then. And lonely. Okay: not just lonely, needy. Doesn’t some kind of statute of limitations apply?” I could picture her rolling her big dark eyes--or, the ultimate turn-off, squinching her ey...

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“The Defective Cog” by Eloise Bowers

Submitted to Contest #259

“So, what’s the good news you had to tell me face to face?” Jake asked, sipping his coffee. Ashlyn wrinkled her nose at the sight of his drink, so diluted by milk that it was a preposterously pale shade of brown, barely a coffee at all. Even though she’d seen Jake enjoy this offensive concoction countless times, she was still repulsed by it. “Well,” she said with a smirk, dragging out the word to prolong the suspense, “I just happen to have won the fantasy story contest held by Words of Wonder Magazine, with my short story about ...

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“The Rookie and the Lieutenant ” by Gracie Tranum

Submitted to Contest #259

"You seem to be in a good mood."Estella looked over at Dr. Myers. She gave him a weird smile. "Really? I feel normal."The man studied the trees. "Well, I've noticed the elevation in mood for a few weeks now." Dr. Myers shot her a smile. "You haven't noticed?"Estella shrugged, looking out into the trees with him. "I guess… it has been a little easier to go through each day."During the building repairs, Estella and Dr. Myers had taken to doing their sessions outside. Now that the offices were back to normal, Dr. Myers had the good idea of cont...

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“Smart Money ” by Nadia Mena

Submitted to Contest #259

Brooks and Bunker Office Supply was housed in a perfectly normal building at the end of a perfectly normal street. Like clockwork, every morning its parking lot slowly filled with midsized, nondescript sedans. From out of those sedans sober faced, travel coffee cup armed workers dutifully marched up the perfectly regular sidewalk and through the perfectly regular heavy glass doors. Beyond the glass doors, laid beige carpet and white walls in a narrow hallway that led past a reception desk and into a large room full of rows of cubicles....

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“Love Thy Neighbor” by Rudy Greene

Submitted to Contest #259

Jim and Judy seemed like the ideal couple. They expressed their love for each other daily. They had been married for twenty years and had two kids and loved their Jobs. Judy was a water lawyer who worked for the government and Jim was an architect. Jim’s childhood friends lived next store. Keri and Steve had been Jim’s best friends since seventh grade. When Steve became romantically involved with Keri, Jim would almost always accompany them on their dates. Neither Keri nor Jim seemed to mind. In fact, they encouraged it. Once Judy came on th...

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“You've got me dead wrong” by Jasmine Johnstone

Submitted to Contest #259

Mrs Blumley’s hair is sitting nicely; a white, face framing coif of candy floss. She’s looking a bit pale though and she wouldn’t be happy with me if I didn’t get it just so.‘I’m just going to put a little bit more blush on,’ I tell her, humming as I dab some more of the pink cream along her cheek bones.She doesn’t smile. Her jaw is wired, and her lips are sewn shut after all, but I get the impression she’d approve. Nothing too over the top, the family have opted for a classy, blue three-piece ensemble, complete with pearl drop earrings. I g...

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“The Summer Stare” by Flora Amantis

Submitted to Contest #259

“Hey Cassie!” Sophie, a 14 year old, nice brunette girl said, greeting her best friend as she pulled up a chair at their table in the camp’s large cabin like mess hall. “Hey,” Cassie, a 15 year old, dirty blond bookworm, replied. “Wanna try some archery after lunch? Or maybe horse back riding?” “You can, I’m planing on heading back to the cabin to read.” “Come on Cassie! Don’t be a wet blanket,” Zack, a tall 15 teen old boy, with messy hair, said teasingly, surprising both girls as he walked up behind them with his friends. “I’m not a wet bl...

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“Never Too Late” by Joanna Beckman

Submitted to Contest #259

Rick was 8 years old when we met. He was in my Cub Scout den with my two sons. His parents were the first friends I made when I moved into a home across the street, and they soon became my second family. His dad was a 'Southern Gentleman' who went into the military and came home with a lovely French woman; a more perfect couple you've never met. Rick’s mom was my idol…so smart. There was nothing she couldn’t do by herself when her husband traveled. But she was a helpless kitten when he was home. Hubby, totally unaware of her kind deception, ...

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“A Four Letter Word” by Indigo Simmons

Submitted to Contest #259

Everyone could see it.The forlorn glances from Ryker. Or the lingering touches Penelope left on the young man’s hands. And even the way the two twenty-three year-olds sat extremely close to each other when the friend group got together, but for some reason, neither Ryker nor Penelope could see how much the other was in love with them.Well, that wasn’t the case for everyone else who observed the two.Ella, Penny’s best friend, was the first to notice the tension between them, and then Ryker’s best friend, Alek, picked up on their friends’ feel...

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“Make It So” by Fred Bickham

Submitted to Contest #259

It was a simple enough proposition. Draw a curve whose end-points of birth and death stood for the only certainties in this crazy life, with whatever got thrown in between just random variables in probability space. Real world, it resembled a quivering tightrope strung between two platforms, those offering the only true vantage points from which to view the insanity of what lay ahead or behind.Foley now turned and looked behind him and wondered if there had even been a tightrope, if he’d actually been walking on air the whole time. It appear...

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“A Wish in the Dark” by Amberly Campbell

Submitted to Contest #259

Ember’s father had always taken her out to see the stars as a little girl. He’d point out constellations and planets and tell stories as if he’d been to them. Maybe he had; she wouldn’t know. But she did know that he loved her as if she were as important to him as all the planets and stars in the universe. Love like that was a treasure, but every treasure runs out. Ember’s brightest light went out the day cancer knocked on his door for the final time. From that day on, every time she saw a shooting star, she wished that she would feel love j...

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“The House Next Door” by WD Rose

Submitted to Contest #259

Sarah pulled into her driveway, killing the engine with a sigh. Another long day at the law firm, another evening of microwaved dinner and helping Tommy with his homework. At 42, this wasn't exactly where she'd pictured herself – divorced, single mom, and perpetually exhausted.As she stepped out of the car, a moving truck caught her eye. It was parked in front of the Johnson's old place next door. Right, the house had finally sold. Sarah made a mental note to bake some welcome cookies – once she found the time. Fumbling for her house keys, s...

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Write a story about two people who aren't admitting their true feelings for one another, despite it being obvious to outsiders.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 57 stories

“Zephyr” by Jennifer Luckett

“Felt but Unspoken” by Grant Fowler

“A surprising Revelation” by Marie Marks

“The Elephant in the Waiting Room” by Robert Pyke

“The Defective Cog” by Eloise Bowers

“The Rookie and the Lieutenant ” by Gracie Tranum

“Smart Money ” by Nadia Mena

“Love Thy Neighbor” by Rudy Greene

“You've got me dead wrong” by Jasmine Johnstone

“The Summer Stare” by Flora Amantis

“Never Too Late” by Joanna Beckman

“A Four Letter Word” by Indigo Simmons

“Make It So” by Fred Bickham

“A Wish in the Dark” by Amberly Campbell

“The House Next Door” by WD Rose

🌟 Similar prompts

Place your characters in a tough situation, where nobody wants to acknowledge the reality of what's happening.

Write a story that includes the line, "Is nobody going to say it?".

In a small town, a powerful family have a dark secret that nobody wants to discuss. One day, an outsider arrives, who's not happy to simply drop it.

Set your story in a world where conversation about one particular topic is banned — but there are ways to get around the rule.

Contest #259

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

295

Contest entries

143

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: