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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of coming of age short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

6480+ Coming of age Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. No matter how old you are, there’s just something inherently relatable about coming-of-age tales. Discover the best new coming-of-age stories right here!

Coming of age Short Stories – Page 427 of 432

Sweeping sun

Submitted to Contest #59

The wind bit into Clotie’s ankles as she walked along cigarette corpses and wet leaves. Amidst honking bikes and tired buses, fall clothes and coats swirled into a rustling fog that tamed Montmartre down a little bit. “Elle se decide celle-là ou merde?”, a fringed woman in a masculine suit grunted. Clotie stepped to the side and let the busy insect take the lead into the metro station. A deep sigh burned into Clotie’s neck – she turned around.Purple eyelids closed in despise at her. “Mon pied, mademoiselle.”“Pardon, je-”  The ...

11 likes 4 comments 4
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Story of the Lake

Submitted to Contest #59

*All Names Are Fictional* *All Names Are Fictional** If You Have A Similar Name I Am Extremely Sorry!* It was on August 3rd. I sank along with Jessica as I dragged her to shore. She was sinking and taking me along. I couldn't save her like the idiot I was bringing myself first. I get out of the lake shivering. I look around to find a lifeless body next to me. Radio chatter fills my ears until I suddenly black out. I wake up to find bright lights stabbing my eyes. Three days after I recovered I headed to Jessica's house to find her Mom screa...

12 likes 4 comments 4
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silence all around

Submitted to Contest #58

Trigger warnings: self-harm, suicidal thoughts   Aching, afraid, alone.  The emotions? They’ve always been there. The thoughts? I'm more than used to it. But the actions? They’ve only begun. Drip, drip. ***** It stands there, so innocent, so peaceful, away from the hands of the immoral. Tall and impressive, unassuming, and naive. I've heard others calling it a beautiful work of art, and I have to agree. Vibrant, lush greens mixed with soft, gentle blues to create a stunning masterpiece. People would never believe it to be a dangero...

120 likes 181 comments 181
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Bananas and Womanhood

Submitted to Contest #57

You’re probably heard of my mother. Her name was Anneliese, Ana for short, but that won’t ring a bell for you. With an exaggerated sigh she’d mention people back at school called her Ban-Ana, and suddenly you’d be guffawing uncontrollably. “You’re the girl who’s birthday party was a total flop! Literally!” “Ban-Ana, you want a banana?” “Oh, wait, you’re just going to use it to make disgusting perfume!” Let me tell you how it all started with my mother. . . from the very beginning. There she was, twelve, liv...

50 likes 15 comments 15
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Tech Studies

Submitted to Contest #56

I glared furiously at the yellow sign with the words " Welcome to Tech Studies!" Scrawled in blue Sharpie. "Genesis what would you like to do about the petition to fix the water fountain?" "Ask Mrs.Harrison to fix it," I said gesturing her off. "Genesis the French club and Latin club use the same room what should they-." "Create a routine." I cut Jacob off and he rushes away. Behind me are about 5-7 people wanting their problems fixed. I already asked Jessica (VP) to take over but these people think they're so important. I stare viciously at...

8 likes 0 comments 0
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How to Run a Secret Society

Submitted to Contest #55

Great! You have finally admitted that you want to do this.  The most important thing to do first is to remember that you have good reasons for starting your own society. These reasons will come out as you develop your own society and try to add members to the group.  You should first keep all of the information on what you want from your society in a notebook. Not just any notebook. Maybe one of the notebooks that you are addicted to buying every time you pass through the local mall and stop at the dollar st...

35 likes 18 comments 18
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Sorry Chaucer, time does wait for some.

Submitted to Contest #55

It was 7:30 am and Akun lay on his bedroom floor propped up on his elbows, wrapped in the comforting ignorance of youth, having only seen ten years of the world. This was his favourite time of the day; when everything was silent. He could feel the warmth of the boiler pipes underneath him as they whirred gently, waking up the sleeping house. On this particular morning, his short attention span was completely absorbed in the antique train set he had received on his ninth birthday. His granddad had given him that; his granddad always gave him ...

12 likes 2 comments 2
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I had better things to think about than my life.

Submitted to Contest #55

"Can you keep a secret." Jessica snatches my phone from my grasp. "Depends." I snap angrily. "Can you?" Jessica asks gravely. " Can I have my phone back?" She glares at me. " Fine, yeah, I can keep a secret. I mean it's not like you've kept a secret like I am actually a wizard that is going to a wizarding school and I have to defeat a dude that is nose-less." I giggle but Jessica is still glaring me down. I suppress the rest of my giggles and look at her. " Look at my hands." I look at the palm of her hand and a blue light glows out of her h...

10 likes 0 comments 0
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Costs An Arm And A Leg

Submitted to Contest #54

“Are you sure about this, My Lord?” Prince Wyon looked up at his knight, clearly frustrated. “For the last time, yes, I am sure. You and I both know that if I continue to sit idly, the situation will only cascade into full on rebellion. We must nip this in the bud if we wish to stop such a thing, correct?” Sir Edelin stared down at the prince for a moment longer, her concern unhidden. However, with a sigh and a nod, she signaled for the castle gates to be opened.  Tightened chains and creaking wood struggled and surged in order ...

11 likes 1 comment 1
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Grace

Submitted to Contest #54

The sun lies dappled on the casual, drifting reuland leaves, a rare and beautiful sight, but all it does is make you lightheaded and sick. The leaves are bright green, poison-green, and shiny in the merciless light. Around you are the crackling of heavy footsteps through the brush, and singsongy, whispering Clan chants, and the occasional swish of a blade through the underbrush. Everyone’s feet move in silent, brushing Indian steps across the leaf-covered forest floor. Your father’s hand is on your shoulder, heavy and warm, and you want it t...

95 likes 19 comments 19
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Jonathan

Submitted to Contest #53

Jonathan Dryden’s red popsicle was melting. It dripped through his fat fingers, and when he wiped them on the front of his faded old tee shirt it looked like blood streaks. Jonathan probably did that on purpose, though. Jonathan always did weird stuff like that.  “Tell them the werewolf story, Jonathan,” said snotty little Randy Bates, who had been following Jonathan around for most of the summer. “Jonathan saw a werewolf last year, guys.” Jonathan smirked and puffed out his chest a little bit as he tossed his popsicle ...

15 likes 2 comments 2
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Shell

Submitted to Contest #53

“A person is happy not when they are fortunate, or healthy, or privileged, but when they are these things moreso than others. That is why the Warrins are, without a modicum of uncertainty, the happiest people in the realm.” —Lue, Royal Advisor, Year 14XXShe sits on a moonlit windowsill, pinned there by the weight of an invisible crown.Generations upon generations of discipline and tradition and cold-eyed duty to the realm have been poured into the tiny thing, and her shoulders howl under the pressure.God, it’s heavy.So heavy that it mak...

45 likes 44 comments 44
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Popsicle Break

Submitted to Contest #53

Everything was terrible today, but what set him over the edge wasn’t the heat, or the constant repetition, or the know-it-all juniors and seniors. No, he held it together, right up until the popsicle slid off its stick and plopped onto the bleacher below him, melting immediately into a red puddle, oozing like fresh blood. He stared at it for a moment, and then, without a word, he stood up and stormed off, his stomps echoing loudly on the metal bleachers. He didn’t see it, but all the girls giggled, and all the boys made faces. All except one...

41 likes 9 comments 9
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My final days before going away to college.

Submitted to Contest #53

I would describe my last week home before leaving for college as chaos. This year is going to be my Sophomore year which makes it a little easier compared to last year since I know what to do and what to expect but still, I was in two minds the entire week. Fortunately I had Stephanie, my best friend and college roommate to help balance the insanity. We were roommates last semester so it only made sense that we paired up again. A great roommate can make all the difference in school so when you find one never let them go. Bribe them to stay. ...

13 likes 1 comment 1
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Summer Cousins

Submitted to Contest #53

There was magic in the lake.Grammy told me that. Of course, Grammy was a bit magic herself. Every year on the last day of summer, Grammy packed her picnic hamper, and together we’d carry it down to the old dock where the reeds were thin and the ducks liked to gather. We’d sit for hours with our feet dangling in the water, just Grammy and me, because I was the oldest and (I suspected), that made me the favorite. We’d eat cheese sandwiches wrapped in crinkled brown paper and thick slices of Great Aunt Millie’s angel food cake, which Gramm...

30 likes 12 comments 12
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