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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of teens & young adult short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

5430+ Teens & young adult Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Looking for the best short stories for teens? Our collection of funny, suspenseful, and relatable young adult short stories will meet your needs.

Teens & young adult Short Stories – Page 84 of 362

The Heartbeat of Home: Nutmeg’s Tale

Submitted to Contest #211

The early morning sun cast a warm golden hue over the quaint coastal town in Jamaica, heralding the dawn of yet another delightful day. While most of the town was still submerged in dreams, a certain backyard was already brimming with activity. Nutmeg, an effervescent ball of fur, greeted the day with infectious excitement. This was not merely a pet dog but a source of boundless joy and inspiration for her owner. As the first rays of sunlight washed over the garden, they highlighted the playful dance of a creature with an unparalleled zest...

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A Picture's Worth a Thousand Feelings

Submitted to Contest #211

I ran my fingers over the worn leather of the photo album laying at my bare feet. In my parent’s dark living room, the fire gave the auburn cover’s edges a vignetted glow that mirrored the burning feeling in my chest. Moments passed and I still sat there fumbling the corner of it as the flames widely crackled and popped beside me. I wanted to open it but I knew if I did, I would be releasing the truth and confirming the weight of its reality. It felt surreal to feel this way now after seemingly so much time had passed. Six months ago, I ...

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Book Bind Library

Submitted to Contest #211

Books towered above Ms. Pratipity on the shelves of the cozy aisle where she stood looking down at a little scrap of paper in her hand.  The phrase, "Good luck," was followed by a little snicker, which caught and spread to the others. "Yeah, good luck," was repeated from someplace behind Ms. Pratipity's knees. "Yeah, good luck," was repeated again. This time from a spot in front of her, to her right.  Ms. Pratipity stepped to her right and put her hands on her sides, above her hips. "Now, who said that?", she asked. Then she stared...

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This Empty-Eyed Town

Submitted to Contest #211

It was dusk when he began to walk. The moon hovered near the treeline almost hidden by the thick brush that lined the two sides of the street. The street lights were flickering. A nasty orange huge washed the empty road, and still, he walked. Head down, one foot in front of the other. His shoes were so terribly worn down, holes grew in the soles. The laces were fraying. They had once been white, now a dirty brown-grayish color. But it was the only pair he had. He tried not to let the patheticness of the situation seep into him too much.&nbsp...

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Love's Magic

Submitted to Contest #211

         When Erika Simons stepped into her job at the library nestled in her small town, an idea sparked in her mind like the flicker of an old, forgotten tale. As a child, her grandmother's captivating stories had woven a tapestry of girls infatuated with princes far beyond their social status. These stories, though timeless, held an air of whimsical impossibility. The notion that nothing these girls did could capture the prince's attention, until the moment they chanced upon a hidden love spell...

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Eveline

Submitted to Contest #211

Before meeting Eveline at Cabin F, I had to make sure my roommate wouldn’t be around. “Can I get about… 2 hours alone in our cabin?” “Sure, why?” Well, I wasn’t going to mince words. He would figure it out anyway. “Eveline’s coming over. We want to be alone for a while.”  The reaction in his face was what most would describe as a “sneer”. At the time, I thought he reacted out of moral judgment (being Catholic) or simple disgust at knowing what she and I would be doing on top of the shared mattresses we had grouped on the floor of our ...

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Lucy’s pony adventures - where it all began.

Submitted to Contest #211

It was Saturday, it was summertime, and Lucy was so excited she was getting ready for her first-ever riding lesson at the local stables.   It was Lucy’s 7th birthday and her Mum and Dad had bought her a new riding outfit, cream jodhpurs, black jodphur boots and a lovely silk hat cover with lots of unicorns on it; Lucy loved unicorns.  She loved anything horsey.  Driving to the stables with her Dad Lucy had a funny feeling in her tummy, her Dad said it was called butterflies.  Lucy wondered how butterflies had got...

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The Distance of Stars

Submitted to Contest #210

The garden gate’s rusty hinges creaked as it swung shut. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark as she switched off her flashlight, and she and Sam carefully made their way into the garden, the dark shapes of plants and furniture taking form in the dim light of the moon. Light shone in distant windows, but their own house’s windows were dark. Somewhere nearby, an owl was calling out, the sound unsettling in the darkness. A tawny owl. The dogs were barking down at Willow Beck Farm, too. They came to a stop in the center of the lawn, where...

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Living for Sunny

Submitted to Contest #210

The potent stench of bile and vodka was enough to wake Sunny and I, two hours before our alarm. This is not something new for us though, frankly we prefer to wake up before Medusa does. This way we can bolt to our bus stop and escape her wrath or on some days her fraudulent hugs. You see, mother is schizophrenic and Bipolar and with the luck we have, and the cards we have been dealt, she is also an alcoholic. Not exactly a royal flush life.                In my 16 yea...

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No Longer Alone.

Submitted to Contest #210

No Longer Alone. Ember regretted all her life’s choices the moment her phone alarm buzzed at her bedside. She groaned audibly and hit the snooze button. She immediately had wet puppy nose in her palm that was draped over the side of her bed. “I love you Charlie but I gotta have five more minutes.” She face-planted into her pillows and groaned. Charlie was ready to go out and started to lick her fingers from his doggie bed beside her mattress. “Alright buddy. Let’s go.” She pulled on her jogging pants which she had flipped over the back of ...

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They are not alone.

Submitted to Contest #210

There was a time when words mattered. They were expensive. Writing was maybe cheap on paper. But editing, printing, distribution, exposure. Not everyone could write. Talent, connections, and money, that’s what defined writers. Nowadays, everyone can shitpost on Twitter and make a name for themselves. Create a following. Be a part of a cult. The threshold for opinions has been obliterated.And here I am, trying to shape words into something that matters, something that is more than a commodity. Just wasting my time. Josephine rested her head b...

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Whispers of the Forest: A Tale of Transformation

Submitted to Contest #210

TW: Murder, Poisoning Pre-Accident Elijah grew up closeted, mostly by his own doing. He had a small family, two elder sisters, and his mom. He grew up in the southern States, specifically Louisiana. And although he wasn't disliked, he was a scared kid when wearing his own skin. He owned hundreds of outfits, but he only wore six or seven in public; it was hard for him to see the beauty that he carried in any piece of clothing, no matter the raggedy natured garment. This sort of headspace kept him secluded from his friends and ...

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The Poisoner's Garden

Submitted to Contest #210

I broke into the Poison Garden on a dare. It’s always a dare with us. Something to break up the tedium of being an only child and completely neglected by parents who are trying to keep a roof over my head and don’t have time for childish games, thank you very much. Wallace is bored for other reasons. But I suppose you’ll question him later. Suffice it to say, he dared me to break in, so I did. At night. Alone. Well, not completely alone. There was somebody waiting for me there. As you well know.  Of course, I wore gloves. I’m not an id...

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Beasts and Betrayal

Submitted to Contest #210

“What did you just say?” I asked uneasily.  “We’re not alone, I can feel it,” he whispered back eerily as if trying to get me to look around.  I frowned in response, “What makes you say that? We’re all the way out here at my grandpa’s cabin. No way someone followed us all the way out here! Unless my little brother jumped in the back of the truck…”  He frowned, angry I disagreed or didn’t believe him, “Dude, I’m telling you. I can feel their presence.” “Fine! Fine! I’ll go grab a flashlight then we can look around the o...

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How to Dissect a Frog For Dummies (And Aliens)

Submitted to Contest #210

Sam ran, her backpack slapping against her spine; something with a sharp corner jabbed her through the thinning fabric in the same spot with each movement.  The hallways were mostly clear, and a few stragglers of students rushed to find their respective classrooms. A disingenuous hall monitor flipped through a manga on a plastic chair with his foot propped up on his knee.  It was unnatural, Sam thought, to only give the students three minutes to get from one class to the other. That rule was acceptable for the average high schooler...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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