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Discover weekly, the best short stories

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

Friendship Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Some would say that tales of friendship are some of the most moving of all. From childhood friends to brand new buds, you'll find a story to warm your heart here.

Friendship Short Stories – Page 4

The Ocean Between Us

Weekly Contest #368

Dear Abby’s kids, I am the thing that always stays with you, no matter what. People come to me and say I act weird or I have a funny way of doing things. Well, they’re right. You see, I am a thing that will make you love me forever and ever. Anyway, my life’s purpose is to demolish the whole human race, but since I’m just a beginner, I was just told to clear out all of Oak Creek Middle School! I’m no Frankenstein, or Vampire, and definitely no Mummy, I am something way cooler. I am a Siren. It was a windy, autumn day at Oak Creek. I was sitt...

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THE RELENTLESS RAIN

Weekly Contest #367

THE RELENTLESS RAIN A Short Story by Suresh Dandapani The rain had been falling over Whitby for three days straight — a thin, relentless drizzle that blurred the rooftops and turned the cobbled streets into dark mirrors. Thunder grumbled occasionally, like an old fisherman complaining about the weather. A damp wind slipped through the cracks of Margaret’s windows, carrying the smell of the sea.She closed her notebook and stood up.When she fastened the latch on the window, she caught sight of the street below. Beyond the iron gate of her sma...

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Beneath the Stars: Learning to Live Out Loud

Weekly Contest #367

I never knew that magical moments could come from a place, could come in the smallest ways. I always thought they had to come in grand moments—weddings, births, long exotic vacations, walking into the most magical place on earth. But this past week, my perception of that changed in a big way. I learned a place could be filled with magical moments. And I learned that magical moments could happen with the most unexpected people.  My best friend and I, kind of on the spur of the moment, booked a short trip to Fire Island. I’d never gone th...

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The Woman Who Will Not Let Things Slide – There's no going back now. - Never Go Back

Weekly Contest #367

PreambleThere is no going back. Months of relentless trial have already rewritten the landscape, leaving just one choice: move forward, one step at a time, trusting in grace to bear the weight and reclaim what was always hers. What follows is a reflection on fierce resilience—a testament to the profound exhaustion and quiet courage of walking a heavy road alone. It is an honest look at weathering financial strain, holding firm to boundaries without losing compassion, and refusing to let circumstance strip away one's dignity or faith.OutlineT...

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The Impractical Guide to Losing a Friend

Shortlisted for Contest #367 ⭐️

The bad thing about being self-aware was that you always knew when you were ruining your life.“You’re cute,” I said. “But…I just don’t think it’s going to work out.”She stared at me.“Ohhh, don’t give me that look, Annie,” I groaned. “I promise you, it’s for the best.”Annie did not look impressed.“What?” I asked. “This is just how it is with me.”Annie made a frustrated noise, and I sighed, dropping the stuffed dog into her crib. She squealed with excitement and started gnawing on the dog’s ear with her toothless gums.That was about when I dec...

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Six O'Clock

Weekly Contest #367

Sergeant Daniels stood at the bridge entrance, eyes glued on the road. Nothing moved. The Sergeant lowered his binoculars and looked at his watch. 5:56. His orders were clear. The bridge had to be burned by six.  He grasped the railing as a cold gust swept across the bridge. He looked down the road again. The sound of crunching leaves approached from behind the Sergeant. He turned, now standing face to face with Simmons. “Do we light the bridge, sir?” Simmons ask...

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Best Friends Forever

Weekly Contest #367

The final warning bell echoed throughout the hall. But everyone was in no hurry to class, after all, the teachers had given up by the last day of the school year. I strolled into my science class as my teacher set up a movie for us to take it easy on the last day after a year of supposed hard work. If only I could take it easy. My mind wandered to Sadie. I started to feel my heart thumping in my chest as my head started to ache, prompting me to put my head down. I clutched my purple friendship bracelet in my palm.  Sadie. My “best ...

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No Crossing Back

Weekly Contest #367

I thought she was a friend. We bonded immediately on our first encounter. I had just started getting involved with a local fellowship group who met periodically for a variety of events. It was shortly after my husband had passed, and I was glad to meet a new friend who was artistic, witty, and grieving, like me. Her mother had recently died, and I felt she understood loss, and the importance of moving forward after heartache. Just the friend I needed, I thought. The day we met, we hit it off. The group outing was a small-town festival, and w...

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Beyond the Walls

Weekly Contest #367

The only light in the outpost came from the fireplace. It crackled and glowed a golden pattern of shadows across the wood walls. Joel sat at the table and faced Cyrus whose eyes were cast down, thinking. Outside, the rain thrashed against the roof in violent waves and thunder cracked down. Joel glanced at the hourglass at the center of the table. They had thirty more minutes to make a decision yet he and Cyrus had not uttered a single word to each other since the King’s guards had presented them with the news. Joel c...

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Before I Do

Weekly Contest #367

At 11:07 on the morning of her wedding, Claire Whitmore decided there were three possible outcomes to the day. She would marry Ben. Ben would eventually marry Maggie. Or her mother would murder all three of them before anyone made it to the altar. At the moment, option three appeared most likely. “Where are your shoes?” Claire looked down at herself. Seven thousand dollars’ worth of ivory lace cascaded from her waist to the floor, effectively concealing everything below her ankles and, Claire felt, making the question unnecessarily invasive....

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The Clock Strikes Fate

Weekly Contest #367

I am going to die on the 7th June, 1917, at 16:13. That’s today. I check my watch, 1 hour remains. It’s not a big deal, really. We are all going to see the fading light but just don’t have the privilege of knowing when. I am one of the lucky ones, I’m choosing my death date. It even brings a smile to my face. I sink my feet into the soil, as green weeds twine between my toes. A petite spider crawls across my foot and temporarily becomes entrapped in between the dense hairs. With a nudge, the creature is freed. My feet are the last-remaining ...

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Childhood’s End

Weekly Contest #367

“Which bed do you want?”, Hannah said excitedly as we entered the crowded, wood-panelled dormitory together. I squinted in the deluge of sunlight that lay claim to the room through a large bay window on the far side. England in the height of summer has a distinct stuffiness to it, I thought, all moth balls and dust. It was hard to think of this place operating as a school during term time. It felt at odds with the spirit of youth somehow – old and tired. Hannah was talking breathlessly to a girl I recognised from school. She was ol...

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Gentle Weapons

Weekly Contest #367

Friday’s last dance Long past closing time, that’s when I’ll realize you won’t be coming. Sitting outside the shop with the cold sidewalk poking through my jeans, I’ll be but an empty shell made ghost under the gleaming lamppost. The routine will be muscle memory by then. I’ll shoot you a text that morning and head to work just to long for a reply that can’t come. I’ll invade your phone with entitled messages, then stare at my screen for as long as my mind will take before it starts glitching. It’ll be a challenging couple of days. The worst...

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Chuckles & the one-way decision

Weekly Contest #367

Chuck was ten, which meant he was old enough to know better but young enough to ignore that fact. His friends called him Chuckles, partly because he laughed at everything and partly because he made everyone else laugh too. Living in the “boring” town of Gusty Patch, sometimes fun had to be made.  He had a talent for turning ordinary days into stories worth retelling.On the last Saturday of summer break, Chuckles stood at the edge of Gordy Creek, staring at the rickety rope swing tied to the old sycamore. The rope was frayed. The creek w...

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What We Were

Weekly Contest #367

“If you ever find out what I did, promise you won't hate me.”Danielle said it around a forkful of yellow cake.Sharon didn't look up from her napkin. “You? Keep a secret?”“I can keep secrets.”“You told me about your sister’s positive test before the ink was even dry.”“She needed support.”“She needed ten minutes to process it.”Danielle slid her fork across the small marble table and took the corner of Sharon’s slice. Sharon swatted her hand away, but the cream was already gone.“You weren’t eating it,” Danielle said.“I was pacing myself.”“You’v...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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