Stories

Boyfriends Alex and Casey have a lot to be thankful for. Especially, the love that surrounds them and flows between them.

Set against a backdrop of dial-up modems and Y2K paranoia, this story is a deep dive into pure 90s nostalgia. On the final Spring Break of the millennium, music snob Leo believes a CD-ROM playlist from his best friend Caleb is a nerdy ark designed to save their decade's music from the apocalypse. He champions its eclectic mix as genius, until a single 80s song shatters his theory. Leo is forced to realize the playlist isn't a museum, but a love letter — the culmination of a decade of unheard confessions hidden in the B-sides of every mixtape Caleb has ever made, forcing him to finally stop analyzing and start listening.

For socially anxious Owen, the only safe space at a chaotic Halloween party is his best friend, Jasper, who is completely hidden inside a ridiculous furry werewolf costume. Fueled by suspicious green punch, Owen confesses his year-long crush on a guy named Elias. But his confession is met with an unexpectedly tender and heartfelt reaction, making him wonder... what secret is the werewolf hiding?

A short story set in Tangiers, circa 1978, a young European encounters a Moroccan of a similar age.

Two young farmers in rural central Montana meet as Winter turns to Spring, and everything frozen begins to thaw and prepares to bloom.

Noah's plan for a cinematic Parisian romance goes spreadsheets-up when the city proves to be a nightmare. Resigned to a week of corporate training hell, he meets Matteo, an Italian who finds Paris just as disappointing. Together, they wage a sarcastic war on tourist traps and clichés. But in their quest to prove the City of Love is a scam, they find the one thing they weren't looking for: a genuine connection more real than any fantasy.

To survive the wedding of their ex-partners (who are marrying each other!), chaotic Dylan and obsessive perfectionist Jonas agree to the perfect plan: they'll pretend to be boyfriends. Jonas has it all figured out, complete with a color-coded binder of their entire fake history. The goal is simple: show everyone they're not just fine, they're thriving. But between chaotic rehearsals, one structurally unsound bookshelf, and a perfectly timed kiss that feels way too real, the line between their fake romance and forever starts to blur.

Seeking solitude on a windswept coast to mend a broken heart, a writer named Evan finds his quiet retreat persistently interrupted by Lucas, the charming and cheerful nephew of the local lighthouse keeper. With the steady sweep of the lighthouse beam marking time, Lucas's daily "deliveries" of household items — and relentless good-nature — begin to breach the walls Evan has built around himself. It's a story about finding an unexpected connection in isolation, and discovering that the rhythm you need might not be the silence you sought, but a steady, recurring light in the dark.

Prompt #235

Ryan is driving in country Australia when he unexpectedly meets Aaron, a stranger. Initially Ryan doesn't know what to make of Aaron but agrees to join him on a search full of surprises.