Love Flash Fiction: The Writing Prompt

“Why is this so hard!?” Jen thought aloud to what she thought was only her laptop.

“Why is what so hard” Leigh responded

Jen whipped her head up from her laptop, eyes wide “I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“That makes sense why you probably didn’t hear the Chinese delivery guy knocking on the door either. I pulled up a second later and just took care of it.”

Confused, Jen responded, “Wait, did you pay again.”

“Yeah it’s no big deal.”

“I know it’s not a big deal, but you always get it. I have nothing to offer you now except the white wine with the coolest label from Trader Joe’s” Jen half-heartedly pouted.

Wine, and good conversation. And those gorgeous brown eyes. And the most genuine laughs Leigh ever has lately. It had been a weird few weeks since Leigh had broken up with her girlfriend, making it the first time both Leigh and Jen were each available in a long time. That initial spark of attraction had always been there since the beginning, and even during each of their subsequent relationships or bouts of dating around, the low hum of that energy still lingered. Now however, that it was actually a possibility it went from a low hum to a loud buzz, a static that filled the silences between them.

Feeling the pause was becoming a little too long Leigh snapped out of it saying, “so what is so hard?”

“Oh right,” Jen started, “I saw that the bookstore was having another writing contest and I was debating about it but I can’t come up with anything. Of course because it’s February, the theme is ‘love’” She flirtatiously batted her eyes at Leigh, making up their plates.

Feeling confident after the last writing contest hosted by their local bookstore, Jen couldn’t fathom why this wasn’t coming more naturally. Actually Jen was frustrated by most things that she couldn’t immediately figure out. The last writing contest in October had a horror theme, and while it was one of Jen’s least favorite genres to read the story came so naturally.

She rhuminated about her fear, and it flowed out early and easily. Chick-lit was her guilty pleasure genre, and with literal mounds of books surrounding her on the floor for inspiration nothing was screaming out as an epic love story.

“You should be great at that, you love all that crap”

“Yeah. I know. Which is why I don’t understand why I have nothing. Actually, no I don’t have nothing, I have a whole Google Doc of terrible ideas”

“They can’t be all terrible,” Leigh said in between bites of Lo Mein “lay a few on me.”

Jen woke up the screen on her laptop. “I was trying to think about all different types of love, really push the boundaries of what people are going to expect from a love story.”

Laigh paused from eating, “I’m not sure quite what that means.”

Jen went into a frenzied monologue outlining different types of relationships beyond romantic partnerships to include platonic love, self-love, loving a child -

“You’ve never had a child, do you really think you can write authentically from that perspective?” Leigh asked.

“Ah no,” Jen started up again, adjusting her sitting position on the floor, inching closer to Leigh. “But I have had a dog, and hear me out ok, that is also a type of intense relationship for some, especially when they pass-”

“A dead pet was your first love story idea?! Damn Jen” Leigh said cutting her off.

Jen’s response was defensive, but her eyes were smiling, laughing, at the back and forth. She pitched Leigh the story about two people who meet at a restaurant for a blind date and are a perfect pair, only to find out they aren’t talking to the right person at the bar.

“So she’s like, ‘wait your name is Thomas — not Steven?’ and at the same time a woman walks up to him and is like ‘hi are you Thomas,’ and he looks back at the woman he’s had such a good time with and says ‘no, I’m Steven.’”

“That’s cute!” Leigh says “Too cute.” Jen replied.

Jen reads from her list, ridiculous scenario after ridiculous scenario. Two friends filling in as models for a wedding shoot that end up years later getting married. A couple that meets when a vet gives the wrong owner a call because their dogs have the same name. Texting the wrong number but continuing the conversation for months.

“I love reading love stories but I don’t know how to write about something I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so deeply”

It was then that Leigh realized by this point in the night they had moved as close as friends would be, on the edge of something more. Their hands were barely touching, and as she looked down at them she moved to interweave their fingers. Jen flicked her eyes down for a moment and then up to meet Leigh’s that were gazing softly at her. When their eyes met Leigh whispered in the first serious tone all night, “Why don’t we just start focusing on writing ours.”