Two strangers meet at a New Year's Eve party. They spend the party together, and then never see each other again.

Posted in Winter on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 79 stories

“Once Spit on, Twice Shy” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #22

I still feel mean about it. And if I’m honest, not just that I’m being mean to Ross, but that I’m being mean to ME! He’s great company, has a sense of humour not unlike mine (and experience has taught me that’s by no means a given!) and manages to be both an interesting talker and a good listener. Dammit, I want to see him again! I’m not saying anything permanent or profound would come of it or that we’d ever be more than friends, but everything in me is screaming, give it a go! Why did ...

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“Double vision” by Sam Kirk

Submitted to Contest #22

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed in Lima. It is now 2.35 pm local time. The weather is nice and sunny, with a comfortable temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Thank you for flying with us today and enjoy your stay in the colorful country of Peru” – the pilot announced.“We look forward to having you onboard again, soon” – the lead stewardess added.“I can’t believe we’re here, Peter. It’s been my dream to climb Machu Picchu for the longest time. And we’re finally going to do it” – Emma said to her boyfriend in the seat next to her.He loo...

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“Pixie Dust” by Linda Herskovic

Submitted to Contest #22

PIXIE DUSTBY LINDA HERSKOVICAmy looked around at all the unfamiliar faces. She wasn’t sure what she was doing there. She didn’t feel very social. She was planning on staying home, finishing up all seven seasons of Mad Men on Netflix for the fourth time and going to bed early. It had been a truly epic cruddy year and she wasn’t expecting much from the upcoming one. And now she had to put on a party face.The apartment was done up very festive. There was a lot of chattering and some jazz background music, like a scene in a movie. She stood ther...

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“Of soulmates and one-night-stands” by Agathe Burrier

Submitted to Contest #22

When Jason turns twenty years old, he goes to his best friend’s New Year’s Eve party. He does that every year without fail, but this year, Jason has a new best friend, and so the party takes place in a different house, with different guests. That’s how he gets to meet Eva.Between them, it’s love at first sight. He sees her, she sees him, and they both instantly decide that they like one another. Jason is wearing a white T-shirt and a green cap – backwards, obviously – and Eva has chosen a green dress and a white scrunchy, which probably mean...

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“Forgotten Acquaintance” by Christina Truman

Submitted to Contest #22

Urine-coloured cocktails. High-pitched clinkings of wine glasses. Conversations that gets louder by the minute.The background music of the televised fireworks sings gloriously:Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and auld lang syne?You scan the room, from one lustrous wall to the next, imagining how each face would look if not for the constantly changing light. The people on the dance floor throw their limbs out like insects under a hypnotic spell while the anesthetized world outside awaited beyond the curtains. The trees are bare, like naked ...

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“An Unexpected Guest” by Melanie Christensen

Submitted to Contest #22

It was the time of year that Jess hated-Rachel’s annual New Years Eve party. Rachel was Jess’ best friend, but she didn’t particularly like to be reminded that another year had passed of her being single. Jess was happy-she had a decent paying job at the bank, a close group of friends that she had since freshman year of high school, and a loving mom-she just wished she had someone to experience this mediocre life with. As she lay in her bed staring up at her ceiling, her phone started buzzing. Jess let out an exaggerated sigh and reached for...

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“Annie” by Lyena Monis

Submitted to Contest #22

The mute woman walked around the party. She had been invited by another woman who claimed to be her “friend”. She probably wanted the good way it made her look. At least, that’s what the woman thought, because who would want to be friends with a mute person. She was trying to find a place to sit down and write in her journal. As an aspiring writer, she was struggling to find material to write her first book. She finally found an empty bench and started brainstorming.After five minutes, she had the feeling someone was watching her. She looked...

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“Seeing Things in a New Light” by Laura Besley

Submitted to Contest #22

I stand on the doorstep. In one hand I’m clutching a carrier bag with a medium-priced bottle of wine and two tubes of Pringles in it, and with the other hand I ring the doorbell. Around the doorframe is a string of flashing multi-coloured lights. You’d be forgiven for thinking they were Christmas decorations, but I can assure you, they’re here all year round. The door is opened and someone who doesn’t live here, someone I’ve never met before, beckons me in. For some reason this is perfectly acceptable when you’re going to a house party ...

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“Queens Passing” by E.J. Katigbak

Submitted to Contest #22

The party was drawing to a close. Barry had never met someone as gorgeous and illuminating as Regina. “This night is no ordinary night,” Barry thought to himself. There were a quiver and restlessness in Barry’s stomach. He was wondering if Regina felt it too. A traditional New Year’s Eve party always ended with a kiss, but this kiss was different. Barry and Regina’s kiss would surely be something to remember. “3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!” Barry and Regina kiss. “Happy New Year your grace!” Barry whispered. In the h...

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“Just Breathe ” by Allie Pittman

Submitted to Contest #22

I walked into the Ballroom and immediately felt like I was being assaulted.The music was too loud, pounding my eardrums until I thought they’d surely bleed.The lights flashed brutally into my eyes, so forcefully ,that I thought they had penetrated into my brain.Then came the abuse of hundreds of people, coming from all directions, talking, to me, to each other, each one seeming to echo off the walls and scrape my already frayed nerves, like nails on a chalkboard.Everyone felt too close to me, I could smell each one’s sweat, their deodorant t...

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“Advice From a Dog” by Ella Devaux

Submitted to Contest #22

I hate parties. Piper weaved through the crowd of people, suffocating. The heat, the noise, the lights, the colors, she wanted to pass out. She wanted to breathe. But that wasn’t the worst part of it, no the worst were the smiles. Smiles carved of expectation, of “this is going to be a great night”, of the yearn to impress. Their craftsmanship was so fine that you almost couldn’t tell they weren’t real, that is, until you look at the eyes. Those were too occupied darting around the room in search of any reflective surface to take part in the...

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“Safe Haven” by Emma Lee

Submitted to Contest #22

Heavy bodies dance to the booming bass, reeking of alcohol and pushing against me. I navigate the crowd, rubbing against more skin than clothes, and reach the kitchen. It's unrecognizable as our house now. The white-marbled counter is littered with plastic cups and dirty plates, and I start grabbing stuff and shoving it into an overflowing trash bin, with which the party guests must've made a game of to see how tall it could go without falling.I see my sister Cecil dancing a couple feet away, blonde locks and white smile bouncing above a sea...

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“Pillow Party” by Emily Showers

Submitted to Contest #22

My brother had invited me to one of his yearly New Year’s Eve parties. I was skeptical about going, since last year’s fiasco. He, for some reason I’m still not sure of, had lit one of the couch pillows on fire and we had to call the fire department to put it out, but not before the majority of the living room was destroyed. I only agreed to come this year to make sure nothing like that happened again. I arrived around 9pm. As I walked up to the front of the house, I could already hear the loud music. At l...

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“The Butterfly Girl” by Rebekah Claxton

Submitted to Contest #22

She was glamorous. Short, black hair and bangs. She had little butterfly clips in her hair. She had a yellow sundress on and had nails painted orange. Bright, blue eyes and a big smile. She looked genuine, but also lonely. She stood by the punch table, her right hand wrapped tightly around her forearm. I hadn't noticed I was staring, but when she made eye contact, I freaked. I tried to look casual, but I, too, was alone. My friends had begged me to come to the New Years party that an upperclassmen planned. His parents were ou...

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“The Night They Met” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #22

Sarah Haj-Hariri The Night They Met Isabelle twirled in front of her oversized mirror, admiring her sparkly, red dress and her long, curled, brown hair “Isabelle! Come on! The car is going to turn into a pumpkin if you don’t hurry!” Isabelle’s best friend, Maureen, was always in a dramatic rush. She did everything she could to save time and arrive early. For example, she had cut her blond, curly hair short just to save time. This annoyed Isabelle, who liked to take her time, and she hated to arrive early, especially for parties. Tonight...

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Two strangers meet at a New Year's Eve party. They spend the party together, and then never see each other again.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 79 stories

“Once Spit on, Twice Shy” by Deborah Mercer

“Double vision” by Sam Kirk

“Pixie Dust” by Linda Herskovic

“Of soulmates and one-night-stands” by Agathe Burrier

“Forgotten Acquaintance” by Christina Truman

“An Unexpected Guest” by Melanie Christensen

“Annie” by Lyena Monis

“Seeing Things in a New Light” by Laura Besley

“Queens Passing” by E.J. Katigbak

“Just Breathe ” by Allie Pittman

“Advice From a Dog” by Ella Devaux

“Safe Haven” by Emma Lee

“Pillow Party” by Emily Showers

“The Butterfly Girl” by Rebekah Claxton

“The Night They Met” by Unknown User

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about a person who goes to bed on Valentine's Day and wakes up in 1920.

Write a short story about someone with unconventional New Year's traditions.

Write a short story in which the last line is the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.

Write a short story about someone who does not spend December 31st celebrating New Year's Eve.

Contest #22

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

338

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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