Winners of Bite-sized Love Buffet contest in Favorite Day Pick category.

Day 2 (Song-based Story): Treat You Better by sinfully-sarcastic

Moisture welled in Evan's beautiful dark eyes. His gaze fell on her picture, Zara's picture. Evan's heart ached as he saw Zara fading from his life. Zara had made her decision.

His mind was occupied with so many emotions. Pain, jealousy, resentment, and anger. His body took rejection as physical pain. He hated Kyle because he took his Zara away. He hated Kyle because he was a quintessential bad boy with a chiseled jaw and a muscular frame. He knew that the good girl always falls for the bad boy.

Evan knew that Zara deserved someone faithful like him instead of a playboy.

His phone buzzed, breaking his enormous thoughts. Ignoring the call, Evan plopped down on the bed. The phone's continued buzzing was ear-bursting for Evan. It felt as if someone was adding salt to his injury. Slamming the phone on the wall, he stifled a curse under his breath.

Moments later there was a loud knocking on his door. Getting up, he opened the door and found the love of his life. Her face had lost the radiance that it usually occupied. Her amber eyes lost the shine they possessed. Evan was ready to throw a punch at Kyle when he realized that he had lost the right to do so.

Zara looked at Evan and repented the unfortunate decision. She regretted choosing the bad boy over the sweetheart, she grew up with. She opened her mouth to speak but Evan cut her short.

"Zara, I won't lie to you. Kyle isn't right for you and you deserve someone who could treat you better. Every girl deserves a gentleman who can treat her with care and compassion. Someone... Someone like me because I know I can treat you better," Evan said, causing Zara to gape at him.

Evan's words were brutally honest and it made Zara fill with ultimate guilt. Evan went ahead and shut the door on Zara's face, to avoid showing himself as a lovesick fool.

The dam in Zara's eyes burst and she slumped against the door. Evan imitated her action.

"Forgive me, Evan. I have been so stupid to fall for Kyle's charm and choose him over you. I have been an idiot to not understand your affection for me. A fool who wasn't able to understand the difference between true love and first love." The words escaped Zara's mouth.

Evan exhaled a sigh of relief. A paranoid silence prevailed. On witnessing Evan's silence, Zara's heart dropped.

Standing up, Zara said, "I-I need to go."

Evan was quick to react to this. He opened the door and pulled Zara by the arm. Placing his forehead on hers, Evan said, "I forgave you the second you came here. I love you, Zara."

Wiping Zara's unshed tears, Evan kissed her passionately. Zara swiftly reacted to Evan's gesture and said, "I love you too, Evan."

* * *

Day 3 (Poem): In my version by MelancholyDays

When we were talking
I leaned in as much as I could,
Without shifting closer.
But all I wanted to do,
Was melt into you.

I pointed my finger at your folded hands
And asked about that spot on your knuckles
instead,
When I really, really
wanted to hold your hand.

You asked to measure our hands,
Mine and yours touching,
Your fingers longer than mine,
palms wider, warmer.

In my version,
I intertwined our fingers.

* * * 

Day 5 (Story-bytes): Bon Appétit by ChocoSK

"It's crazy, how the steady rain is the chief guest in our love story."

White Rose by Leire_4

He kissed the rose then placed in on the coffin, she was his forever.

* * *

Day 6 (Favorite Trope): Love-ly by Miryia

"What are you doing together?" My mother shouts as she enters my room. She flies open the door and looks around. She meets my eyes and I stand up, grabbing my purse.

"Where are you going?" She asks, grabbing my wrist. "Away from you. If it was to ruin my life like this, you should have let me live with Dad." I say calmly.

I give her one last smile before walking out of the flat. I hear my mother's screams behind me but I don't stop. I always knew she didn't trust me. The reason is simple: she is right. However, she is wrong about one thing.

I would never be caught red-handed. Never.

My phone rings in my bag. I see Harris' number. I ignore it and continue walking towards the park. Someone pulls my wrist back and I see Harris. He takes me in his arms without saying anything. "Sorry," he says, burying his head in my neck.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, we didn't do anything wrong," I exclaim. "Hayley, you know very well that-" "That what? My mother married your father. So what?"

"We both knew that when we got together. People will never accept that relationship, including our parents." Harris replies calmly.

Tears stream down my face. Harris wipes them away before taking me to a nearby café. He orders for both of us and we wait for our orders to arrive. "I know you've got something on your mind," he says, scanning me. "I'm going to leave the house," I declared.

"Hayley, please," Harris pleads. "You know, this is the first time I've seen my mother this happy since she divorced my dad." "What do you mean?" "I feel like I'm ruining her happiness by dating you."

A pained expression appears on Harris' face. "Don't make that face. I'm too selfish to break up with you. I don't want this to end because of a ridiculous taboo." I lower my head and watch my dessert silently.

"Tell me what's really bothering you." Harris takes my hand and plays with my ring. "I haven't had my period in two months," I say, wiping away my tears. "Have you taken a pregnancy test?" I nod briskly. I pull a test box out of my bag. "I haven't looked. I don't want to know. Not when I know it will destroy my mother."

"It'll be even worse if you let it drag on." "I know, but I don't want an abortion. And I was afraid you'd leave me." "I won't. After everything we've been through, I want you to know that I would never give up on you. Especially not because you're pregnant. "

Harris grabs the box and takes the test in his hand. He remains stoic and looks me in the eye. "It's positive," he declares.

* * *

Day 12 (Favorite Season): In Our Backyard by _astrosky

It was raining out in the open. Nature was showing its colors when you spun me on my heels and grabbed me by my waist just in time to drop me gently towards the ground with your eyes locked on mine. And time was caught by the beating of our hearts, as they stopped just for a second, craving us to tear apart souls. I wish moments lasted longer than they did last night, as we danced dripping wet in the rain, my dress getting heavier as it soaked.

Hours passed, easy with our heartbeats in syne, the rustling of leaves against the wind and the sweet whistling as the water dropped to the grass, didn't let us down. The rhythm of the violin played in my ears as you stroked back my wet hair and I tightened my hands around your tough waist. The piano dropped her keys as you quoted Shakespeare over and over again: 'I love thee with a love that shall not die, till the sun grows cold, And the stars grow old.'

I still feel my heart light up to the reminiscence of your touch as I felt the chords of the piano raise to match the pace of the fastening mizzle. That night gave me a promise of forever in a numbered of days. I can play that memory on repeat like my favorite song over a thousand times, and yet not be tired of that weird feeling in my chest, light and ticklish, remaining as a reminder to my heart, that it has been beating on passion: thrashing only to the taste of your name on the tip of my tongue.

No, you're not gone, not wholly. There still are remnants of yourself the soil failed to consume. They were greater, heavier than the whole. Because scientists may not understand, we are born with less than we make ourselves. We are born with a biological heart. But there is a heart we make at the homes of our people.

We build it with time, here, over our relationships, and surroundings with love, and hate. Not blood and waste. So when we die, there is a part of us left behind, carried away into others, making it a part of theirs. You see, our heart built on memories and feelings, love and hate, first times and goodbyes, shall always stay where it was born and raised.

Where? In the hearts of our people.

So, you're not lost. You're alive, in me, and in the midst of rain drizzling in our backyard.

* * * 

Day 14 (Valentine story): Valentine's Day by Kyra92

The whole town was fully decorated in bright festive lights. Roses of all colours, gifts of all shapes and sizes, chocolates of all flavours were bought in large amounts. Shop owners were merrily selling their goods on this special day. Couples were seen holding hands and smiling in gay. Few by the lake and the park, under the shade, indulged in their passionate affairs. Singles were on the lookout for others who would be their partners while a few were intent on finding a pair for the night.

Amidst all this fun and the cheery crowd, there was a pair of eyes, sullen and swollen. Mauled and shattered was the soul, slouched in a corner. Muffled was the poor soul's voice and unheard were her stories. While on the far corner, sat another pair of eyes, keen on this tattered soul. Everyday, every single moment was captured and etched deep in his heart. Love; was far-fetched and a treasure far within their reach. It was something that both the hearts craved yet was not in a state to achieve. The constant need to fill their aching stomach atleast once a day had kept love at bay for them. Yet, his heart never failed to notice her aching soul. Every night her soul's cry would tear him apart. After hours of screams, moans, whips and lashes, he would notice her running out of the door and slouching down under the tree, fresh bouts of tears streaming down her eye. His hands would itch to hold her tight, protect her and wipe the tears away. Alas! He was a beggar on the streets striving hard to find a meal. Even if he wished, he wouldn't be able to protect her.

That day, when the whole town celebrated Valentine's day, throwing away precious gifts and food, ungrateful for what they had, he decided to take a step to her. Discreetly he collected the discarded gifts, roses and chocolate boxes. Neatly packing them, he waited for her under the same tree. At the exact time, as always, she came running to find her comfort under the tree. She was shocked to find him waiting for her. With hesitant steps she went near him, fear and anxiety gripping her heart.

He warmly smiled at her and extending his hands, he uttered, "I may not be able to save you nor provide for you. Though my soul craves to shower you with love and safety, I can't. Even if it's a single day, I would like to show you what love really means. Will you?"

His everyday glances and the longing didn't go unnoticed by her. Today when he said those words, she could feel the genuinity in him. Unlike the monster inside her home, he was different. Her soul yearned to be held with love. She finally smiled and nodded, holding his hands.

From that night on, under the same tree, the two souls would spend their night comforting each other's soul in their embrace.

-Kyra92