Start or end your story with a character making a cup of tea for themself or someone else.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 24, 2025

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✍️ 187 stories

“Who he is” by G.S. Cameron

Submitted to Contest #287

Lane thought deeply about how her friendship with Kitte’ had shaped her life, and how they had moved through the world together and shaped one another’s experiences of the world. Kitte’ may not have always been the most accepting person, and upon reflection, perhaps it would have made a difference if in her letters Lane had been more open — divulging meaningful thoughts, feelings, and opinions rather than simply relaying events. She’d never been taught or shown how to be that person, and an honest evaluation even now would have her...

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“The Paper Girl” by Stacey Cooper

Submitted to Contest #287

A woman makes a cup of tea before sitting down to write her next story that is due by the end of the day. As she waits for the tea to steep, she thinks about how she first learned to enjoy the benefits of a warm cup of tea. The woman writes a feature column for a daily newspaper where she highlights upcoming events in the area. Her connection to the newspaper goes back many years, before the days where most people read the newspaper online or on their mobile phones, when physical newspapers were delivered and read. As a young ...

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“Prioritea” by Jeff Macloud

Submitted to Contest #287

Henry cringed, shoulders to ears, head turned, eyes closed, as Ruth banged baking sheets and cake pans around under the counter. She continued to talk as if there were any chance Henry could hear her soft soprano over the racket. "Babe!" Ruth paused her frantic search, but remained on her hands and knees. "Yes?" "I can't hear anything you're saying," Henry said, smiling through mild irritation at her antics. He heard a soft scoff. "What else is new," she answered and kicked her search into a higher gear, causing Henry to place his index fin...

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“The Tea Trick” by Tara Orfani

Submitted to Contest #287

She didn't understand why they still did this; they weren't even friends anymore since their circle had split. They weren't enemies, either, but it was still awkward, meeting up every year. And even weirder that the organizer called it a tea party. Naomi didn't even like tea, but their leader, Tatia, and her best friend, Amy were obsessed, and the guys didn't really care one way or the other.This year was supposed to be special. It was exactly seven years since their dissolution; it was also, not entirely coincidentally, Halloween.Naomi reme...

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“The Neighbors Next Door” by Jessica Wichman

Submitted to Contest #287

Evelyn slowed to a stop at the light, obsessively glancing in her rearview mirror. When the light turned green she wasted no time slamming on the gas and sharply turning the next corner, then quickly making the next right. When the black SUV behind her did the same she knew it was true. “AH HA! I knew it!” she exclaimed. “They’re following me.” Evelyn made the next turn up her street and sped to a halting stop in her driveway. She sat there in her car and watched, as the same black SUV drove past and pulled into the driveway next door. Susan...

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“All in a Cup of Tea” by Nicole Roseberry

Submitted to Contest #287

Mirabelle gingerly placed her old-fashioned tea kettle full of water on the stove top to boil. A soft smile played on her thin pink lips as she shuffled around the kitchen, her worn house shoes scraping the linoleum under her struggling steps. She tucked a loose strand of snow-white hair behind her ear and pushed her large, wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose just a bit. “Tia will love this new afternoon tea I found.” Mirabelle spoke softly to herself whil...

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“Disarray unfurling” by Catalina Felix

Submitted to Contest #287

He served him the tea, gently pouring the highly fragrant, extremely hot content. The two men sat at their usual small, rounded table, their fingers wrapped around wooden, misshapen cups. The subtle red glow of the orange sunset matched the red, sticky splattered around the table, perfectly setting out their weekly tea, which followed that horrifying, gorging feast that they had devoured hours prior. Each week was the same—a gorging feast and a tranquil tea to settle the banquet and start the debate regarding the future of what surrounded th...

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“The Mystique of Tea” by Zaneta Dwamena

Submitted to Contest #287

Calvin watches Norville as he pours both him and his guest a cup of tea. He thanks Norville before dismissing the butler from his greenhouse, leaving the two alone. His hazel eyes watch the golden spoon as it goes round and round in the porcelain cup. The spoon hits against the edge of the cup with soft tinks. Like clockwork, the rhythmic pattern from the spoon is soothing. His eyes trace the dark fingers with black French-tip nails and golden tips holding the spoon. The fingers then pull the spoon out of the cup and place it into the o...

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“tealeaves” by Gary Gallant

Submitted to Contest #287

TEALEAVESGreg Gibson finished his Earl Grey tea and went to work, soon getting swallowed up by the morning customers.Greg took the order for Table 4 to the kitchen and handed it to the cook. “He’s out there again, Mom, Sheriff Barnes.”“Sheriffs got to eat too, Greg,” said Norma Gibson. “Nothing to worry about”“I’m not worried. Mom, it's not me who he is trying to date. ““Is his daughter with him? You and Veronica are both in the freshman class at the university. You should get to know her more.”“Next thing I know, you will want to go on a do...

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“A Cup of Tea” by Lila Evans

Submitted to Contest #287

Each evening, I end my day with a cup of tea. As the tea steeps, and the hot water takes on the color of the leaves, the day develops before me, like a polaroid picture. In the quiet of the sleeping house, the vibrating energy that jars my mind softens to a low hum, and I sit and unwind. It is in these moments that regret begins to blossom, shame at not being able to capture this calm when my children are awake. The remorse I feel for counting down the minutes until they go to sleep, to get to this place of peace. Questions of why I cannot f...

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“Convection” by Chris Moznette

Submitted to Contest #287

The plants on the windowsill had lost their green some time ago, the soil scarred with drought and raised without open curtains. The white wood beneath the mason pots was coated in a sheet of dust and dotted with dry, grey leaves that would crunch when the cat came over to perform its daily inspection of the house. It would step over the leaves, hoping to find some sort of reference to the green that once was, pawing at the blinds just as its owner once did some time ago, but its inferior thumbs prov...

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“Meeting Early Grey” by Wendy Carr

Submitted to Contest #287

As I entered Debby’s house that Saturday afternoon, I was welcomed by the smell of homemade scones even as she greeted me. “Come in! I was just about to put on a pot of tea!”She’d invited me to watch an old movie, one of her favorites on VHS, from the extensive collection she proudly maintained and catalogued. The film was something British, though I don’t remember now what the title was. She asked me what kind of tea I liked, and I hesitated. In my uninitiated 20-something’s mind, “tea” in someone’s home (as opposed to a restaurant) me...

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“The Fresh Start Bakery” by Caroline Mckenzie

Submitted to Contest #287

Jen passed the final box to Cath at the top of the attic stairs. ‘Last one,’ she said, ‘Time for a cuppa?’‘Definitely,’ said Cath, ‘and one of those scones you’re pretending you didn’t bring with you, but I can smell from up here.’‘I was waiting until we’d earned a treat,’ Jen laughed, ‘I’ll go and get them, you put the kettle on.’She was happy to be helping her old friends Cath and Stu move into their new house. They’d chosen a picturesque town an hour up the motorway from where Jen lived. She was taking a few days' break from work and, if ...

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“Tea Thrice for Two” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #287

Tea Thrice for Two So now I am a cave-dweller. My grandfather would laugh at my fate. He was the one who introduced me to the term when he was driving me to a hockey game on a Saturday. When we approached a particularly cave-like apartment building, he pointed at it and declared, “There is where the cave-dwellers live.” I was only six years old at the time, so he had to explain what he meant by that comment. It created some rather imaginative images in my mind of people dressed in furs walking around barefoot in a ho...

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“The Stranger” by Hakim Wilson

Submitted to Contest #287

The noise of soldiers galloping on horseback was of no surprise to the expected warrior. His keen senses offered him the luxury of observing how the inherent silence of nightfall had amplified the pounding hooves of the war decorated Kiso horses. The clanking noise of heavily armored guardsmen also produced its own menacing sound. Their intent upon arrival was to strike fear upon anyone that laid eyes upon them. Stealth was not part of their intention. They preferred the loud, and intimidating approach while riding through the small village ...

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Start or end your story with a character making a cup of tea for themself or someone else.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“Who he is” by G.S. Cameron

“The Paper Girl” by Stacey Cooper

“Prioritea” by Jeff Macloud

“The Tea Trick” by Tara Orfani

“The Neighbors Next Door” by Jessica Wichman

“All in a Cup of Tea” by Nicole Roseberry

“Disarray unfurling” by Catalina Felix

“The Mystique of Tea” by Zaneta Dwamena

“tealeaves” by Gary Gallant

“A Cup of Tea” by Lila Evans

“Convection” by Chris Moznette

“Meeting Early Grey” by Wendy Carr

“The Fresh Start Bakery” by Caroline Mckenzie

“Tea Thrice for Two” by John Steckley

“The Stranger” by Hakim Wilson

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a café, garden, or restaurant.

Center your story around someone who’s boiling over with anger, frustration, or jealousy.

Write a story with a character pouring out their emotions.

Start or end your story with someone being soothed by a hug or words of comfort.

Contest #287

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

408

Contest entries

173

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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