Menu

Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog
Featured stories
Activity feed

Discover weekly, the best short stories

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

2900+ Happy Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. A good story doesn’t need a devastating twist. Nor does it have to plumb the darkest depths of the human conditions. These happy short stories might be exactly what you’re looking for in these uncertain times.

Happy Short Stories – Page 4 of 194

My dearest diary

Submitted to Contest #290

* I saw him again. Walking past the window. A hint of a smile tugged at his lips, and it sent butterflies flying through me. He was absolutely breathtaking.By now I have his routine memorized. In the mornings he jogs past while I’m setting up for the day. He’s always a little late for work. At lunchtime he sits at my café ordering coffee and the sandwich of the day. Sometimes he comes in with some colleagues and other times he sits alone with his nose buried in a book.He’s always friendly but I know that he’s not interested in me. At the mos...

6 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

Ms. Jingles and Peanut

J J

Submitted to Contest #290

Ms. Jingles came into her life first - unprompted and unplanned.Amanda slammed her car door shut and huddled next to the blasting heater. She wiped away the condensation on her windshield and peered outside. Snow was falling at a steady rate. The parking lot was full of slush and puddles. She couldn’t wait to get home and have a strong cup of hot apple cider.Twisting the key in the ignition, she set the car in reverse. Her foot was hovering over the gas pedal when something caught her eye. It was a square of brown in a sea of white - a cardb...

3 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

Caramel Colored Lenses

Submitted to Contest #290

Aubree surrendered to the warmth of the setting sun with heavy eyes and tear stained cheeks. Geese flew overhead against wind that danced with the cattail reeds and willow tree leaves. It was quiet. It was still. The world continued to move forward despite Aubree’s reluctance to believe it. It had nearly been a week since Westley moved out. Nearly a week since Aubree had stepped foot outside. It was the deafening quiet and stale air of the apartment that pushed Aubree to give in to the idea that fresh air might do her som...

4 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

Our First Kiss was the Last

Submitted to Contest #290

It was just another ship day on the island of Hoonah, Icy Strait was a cruise port, filled to the brim with tourists and locals. Fishermen passed through on their way to juneau and beyond, so it was unordinary to catch them sitting at my bar a few times a week. We were only one of the three bars open on the tiny remote island, and one of the busiest with the draw of the “crabby bloody mary”. A 25$ dollar bloody that came with a bouquet of garnish flooding social media feeds and begging to be tried by the cruisers looking to experience a one ...

4 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

Courtney and Tom

Submitted to Contest #290

The first time I met you, we were at the bookstore. Ironically, we were both there to get a wedding gift for a bride. You had picked out a copy of a book called Alan and the Undead, and I was still deciding on a book. I saw the book you had in your hands and thought you could give me a good recommendation. We talked about similar books, and we came upon one after about an hour and a half.  Then, a few days later, we ran into each other at the coffee shop. I went in there to cool off after I had a bad day at work, a lot of angry customer...

4 likes 1 comment 1
Read story

Couple’s Therapy: Ukraine Russia Edition

Submitted to Contest #290

Couple’s Therapy: Ukraine Russia EditionDah. “Now Don-nald, I have to say this is very mature of you meeting me man to man. It’s much (how you say?) much less NOISY without the princess of Ukraine. This is good, no?”“Well Vlad, “ [Crossing the legs] “I’ve had time to learn this life is more than money. I’ve had my share of big splits… Why don’t you tell me what really troubles you?”“You know I take care of her for many years and she gives me back my nukeclear rings and say this: ‘Destroy! Destroy!’ You know how the nukeclear ring is for...

12 likes 4 comments 4
Read story

The Taste of Honey

Submitted to Contest #290

The Taste of HoneyI was walking through the local park, my preferred way to escape the emptiness of living with my unadventurous and generally boring parents, and of not having a girl friend, and finishing my first year of university. As I sat on the flat round remains of an oak stump, I heard a voice calling to me. It had to be calling me, as there was no one else nearby. I could not even see the one that was calling to me, even though I stood up and I turned around twice in a complete circle. No one had ever called out ...

4 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

the list

Submitted to Contest #290

"Happy Valentine's Day!"I groan, tensing up as Alina squeezes me to the point where I wheeze every remaining breath from my lungs. "God, for someone who says they want nothing but the best for me, you hug me like you want me dead." I pant, as she flashes me her usual grin. The devil has been reincarnated into a teenage girl with sun kissed freckles and a smile that emits Sunday morning sunshine. "Who let you in, anyway?" I sigh, as she leaps onto the bed next to me. "Your brother." I roll my eyes, leaning back into my pillows. "Of course."Al...

9 likes 1 comment 1
Read story

New Love

Submitted to Contest #290

It was quiet and empty in the ambient bookstore. The shelves weren’t so busy and no one else was working that day. Thursday was the usual day that I was assigned to work, and to be honest it was my favorite day out of my part-time job.It was I and I alone; on occasions, the manager would come in and check the store but then would leave after an hour or so. I truly loved my job, what I had to do was place the books in the right places, make sure its kept well and check out any books that wanna be bought. We have a back roo...

9 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

My Own New Town

Submitted to Contest #290

I wanted to get out of here, as fast as I can, and start a new Life, but.."Hey, June," I heard as a man walked in the room."Mm?" I looked up from tying my bootstrings, frantically pulling tight the knot and grabbing my knapsack and coat and keys. I took one manic last look at him, and lunged toward the door before he could stop me. I unlocked it, but..I felt the hands around my waist. "Where do you think you're going," he breathed in my ear. I wrestled with him, practically hitting him in the face. "I have to get to my grandmother's house. I...

11 likes 3 comments 3
Read story

👁️👁️ Divine Eyes

Submitted to Contest #290

Summer 🏝️ time 😎 the 🏞️ park is full as well as the parking lot ,right over there on the left one just opened up I'm in there it's a little tight but I'm staying right here.Looking at the different food stands trying to decide what I will enjoy the most, first let me head to the bathroom before mingling to old to hold got to float and flow.Okay headed to the grass area hello ma'am I heard a voice but I kept walking straight ahead I hear hello ma'am I turned around first thing I noticed was his eyes 👁️ 👁️ hello I replied he asked if we could ...

14 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

Papa

Submitted to Contest #290

The big chair squeaks, just a little. Creak, creak, creak. The chair is a La-Z-Boy. He knows this from reading the logo imprinted on the wooden handle that sproing! makes the footrest jump up when you pull it. He is not allowed to pull that handle. "It's not a toy," Papa says. But he still reads it sometimes, when he is on the floor while Mama reads at night. He traces the letters, proud of himself for sounding them out. He wonders why a boy wants to be lazy. He is uncomfortable now, in that sort of uncomfortable way where you don't want to ...

14 likes 6 comments 6
Read story

Pastries

Submitted to Contest #290

The rain downpours, hitting my umbrella with thumps. Weaving my way around downtown in search of my car. The smell of pastries wafts from the brown bag by my side, forever at the perfect temperature, just waiting for me to devour them. I know the alley to my right has no shop there, just a little unused dead end, but I glance anyway, the movement instinctual. Despite the dark storm clouds above and the rain obscuring my vision, I see the furry lump hidden in the corner of the alley. It's an animal, but what kind? Slowly I creep forward, givi...

15 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

Dragon Traits

Submitted to Contest #290

I never thought my life would take a turn like this. A few years ago, I was just a first-grade teacher with a passion for baking and a stubborn will to keep life simple. Now, I'm Marilyn: half-human, half-dragon, and somehow still trying to teach a school full of hyperactive youngsters. At first, my wings were so heavy that I could barely lift them, and the tail was constantly in the way. In my head, I thought my students would be terrified if they saw me. I visualized my career ending right as it was starting. Thankfully nothing else...

4 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

The Scent of Old Paper and New Beginnings

Submitted to Contest #290

The bell above the door of "Pages & Parchment" tinkled merrily, a sound Amelia had come to associate with the comforting rhythm of her life. It wasn't a grand, sweeping symphony, but a gentle melody of turning pages, hushed whispers, and the subtle scent of aged paper—a fragrance more intoxicating to her than any perfume. At 42, Amelia had found solace and purpose within the overflowing shelves of this independent bookshop, a refuge from the whirlwind of a life that hadn't quite unfolded as she'd envisioned.She straightened, tucking a st...

18 likes 5 comments 5
Read story
RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. All for free.