The Puzzle Piece Girl

This is pretty chaste. No sex or anything, sorry if that's boring. Let me know what you think, if you think anything about it…

I was 24 before I ever felt love. That's older than most. But some go their whole lives without it, so I won't complain. We were in grad school together, each pursuing a master's in the arts. That's another way of saying we had no idea what we were doing with our lives.

We met day 1 of first semester, I saw her walking down the stairs toward the auditorium where class was to be held and I felt something immediately. Love at first sight you'd call it now. Back then I just called it intense interest. I was sitting on the end of a bench in the hallway outside the classroom. The previous class was still using the room and we had to wait. She sat on the other end of the bench and a guy eating a bagel sat between us. He was loud, the bagel eater, and I sort of glanced sideways at him to make sure he was actually chewing it and not eating like a hungry coyote. I noticed she was doing the same thing and we sort of smiled at each other through the man's profile, her grin was toothy and genuine, mine was shy and nervous. The guy got up and wandered over to the food cart around the corner, he must have forgotten something.

One for the Road (MC, MF)

Same as my last post: my apologies if this is similar to anyone else's story. Let me know if it is. Let me know anything you'd like, actually.

My wife and I had a rule when we went out socially. If I drive one time, she drives the next. It's not ideal, but it allows each of us to have a fun night out drinking with friends or alone without having to resent the other for always having all the fun.

The New Year's Party was an exception, we had carpooled and each got a little drunk. But it was her time to drive tonight, this cold February night. We left the restaurant, waving our goodbyes to the Walkers as I navigated ice patches in the parking lot to the front seat of our SUV. I stepped up and sat into the seat as Leslie turned the engine on and let it heat for a moment. We puttered out of the parking lot, the heat kicking in as my head sort of drifted right into the passenger side window.

Strangers in an Elevator (MF)

Apologies if something like this has been posted before. I don't want to copy anyone, but I'm not familiar with everything ever posted (obviously) and have never written one of these before. Criticisms welcome.


“Hold it please!” she called out from the lobby. He stuck his arm out to keep the doors open as she hurried inside the elevator, pulling her small handcart full of grocery bags. She was about to tell him to push 6, but it was already lighted.

The whir of the lift hummed gently as they stood in silence. She was on his right, her cart of groceries at her feet between them. Above them the sign lighted the floors they passed. 2, then 3. A moment after the 4 filled with light the elevator lurched and sputtered, rocking its passengers gently.

They looked at each other in confusion. The doors stayed closed as they each shuffled uncomfortably, waiting to get home. After 30 seconds, he finally broke the silence.

“I think, is there a phone in here, usually?” He fumbled along the control panel, opening the phone box and lifting it to his ear. “Lancaster Arms, yeah the east side,” he muttered, followed by a few “Okays” and “Yeses.” He hung up and turned to her.