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101 Word Short Stories

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Jenni with an ‘i’

January 1, 2022 9 Comments

By David Gottfried

In seventh grade, Josh Hersh broke his arm, and Jenni Morrison signed his cast with a tiny heart over the ‘i.’

For years, I’d pined for Jenni. Now dweeby Josh with the center-parted hair gets a heart?

Right then, I knew what I had to do. I ran recklessly across retaining walls. I took up skateboarding. Eventually, I succeeded.

Marker in hand, I approached Jenni. She shrugged and scribbled on my fresh plaster. I stared brokenheartedly at the ordinary dot.

Clearly, I was doing something wrong.

That night, with my unbroken hand, I carefully parted my hair down the center.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen C says

    January 1, 2022 at 9:15 am

    Heart-rending and made me smile at the same time.

    Reply
  2. Sharmila Shankarkumar says

    January 1, 2022 at 10:30 am

    Oh, the folly of young love. This made me smile!

    Reply
  3. Coco says

    January 1, 2022 at 10:33 am

    Really captures tween thinking.
    Nicely done!

    Reply
  4. Alastair says

    January 1, 2022 at 11:14 am

    Awwww. Good story 🙂

    Reply
  5. Howard Humes says

    January 1, 2022 at 11:49 am

    Very good story!

    Reply
  6. Scott Brian Blanke says

    January 1, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    A good story, which made me smile. I would have parted my hair down the middle to sympathize if I wasn’t totally bald.

    Reply
  7. Mary says

    January 4, 2022 at 1:11 pm

    Love this! I can sympathize with this character. 😉 Well done!

    Reply
  8. Nancy Rule says

    January 5, 2022 at 11:06 am

    aww – young boys in love (heart shape replaces the o) great story!

    Reply
  9. Stella Klein says

    January 6, 2022 at 4:13 am

    The details capture teenage yearning so well. A lovely light touch.

    Reply

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