Time for Friday Fictioneers! Hosted by our gracious leader, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, author of the blog, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields – Addicted to Purple.
PHOTO PROMPT Copyright Melanie Greenwood
A Silly Romance Story
“This picture was taken on a very special day. Ricky told me to go through the labyrinth to get to the gazebo and he had a surprise waiting for me. I was so excited! I knew what it was and I had hoped for this moment for the past six months.”
“Tell me about the labyrinth. Was it easy to get through?”
“It took me ten minutes, but finally I made it to the end. I wanted to get to the gift that awaited me.”
“Tell me what it was, I think I might know.”
Sighing heavily, “A promise ring.”
100 words not counting title.
BEAUTIFUL WORDS 
That’s definitely worth a heavy sigh. Nice piece of writing.
Thank you Patrick. 🙂
Great writing Joy… you continue to excel 😉
Thank you Cat, but you should read the “real” writers’ stories. I don’t even hold a candle to their bright lights.
You underestimate yourself
Ahhh, thanks so much. 🙂
This was fun to read. Was she disappointed at the promise ring? Is that the reason for the heavy sigh?
Yes. She wanted an engagement ring. A promise ring is just a promise to get engaged sometime in the future. lol
BTW, there was no such thing as a promise ring in my day. 😀
Awww, very sweet! Great job PJ 😀
Thank you LRod. In my younger days there was no such thing as a promise ring. Haha! (I’m glad there wasn’t!)
Lol well I just learned something new! I thought promise rings were always around. They’re not so bad, I think lol
I think they are a wonderful idea for teenagers. 13-18 years old. 😀
What a sweet story.. sigh.. such romance
In my younger days there was no such things as a promise ring. I think it would be rather disappointing to get if you’re hoping for the real deal. lol
I could sense her anticipation, and I bet she was disappointed!
From what I’ve heard, the ‘promise ring’ is a thorn in many a person’s eye who want the real thing. On the other hand though, it can be a sweet gesture that one day it will happen.
Thanks Francesca. That’s true. It can be seen from either side. Personally, I would be disappointed (unless I was 13 years old). lol
I agree. If it was me, I would be disappointed!
A teenager would probably think wow, whereas a person who is in a long-term and committed relationship would think ‘what the hell is this?’
LOL! Exactly!
A promise is better than nothing. Fun idea to have one’s lover navigate a maze to get to the place of the promise.
All my best,
Marie Gail
Yes, I agree with you. A promise ring is a fun thing to get if you are 13 or 14 years old. LOL
I also think it would be okay for 16 -18 years old, but not after that.
Very hopeful, sweet, and romantic even though she was disappointed in the end.
Yes, she was dissappointed. Such is young love. 😉
A promise ring is better than a necklace.
Yeah, I guess you are right. I started to make it a necklace, but a promise ring sounds more “immature.” I think of promise rings as something between teens. A promise ring to me conveys, “If we are still together down the road I promise I will ask you to marry me.” Okay. You are right. It is better than nothing. 😀
Well my son is 22 and his GF about the same age. They have been together for almost four years (I think) and I wish he would at least give her a promise ring! lol
Would his girlfriend be happy getting a promise ring?
I honestly do not know.
Was she expecting something more fancy? or she wasnt not so keen on the promise ring.
She was expecting the real deal, the engagement ring. 🙂
Ricky should have picked up on that sigh!
Yes! I think so too. 🙂
He’s not big on commitment is he? Nice one.
Thanks for the laugh! You are right about that – he’s not big on committment. 🙂
Dear Joy,
He certainly made a big deal out of a little promise ring, didn’t he? Hope he keeps his promise, that is, if she doesn’t give up on him first. Cute story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Yes he did. Guess he has an over inflated ego. lol!
Well, a promise ring is a start, I suppose!
You’re right. It is a start and it’s better than nothing at all. (But a bit of a disappointment if you are hoping for something more).
But hopefully a promise ring is better than no ring at all? Judging by the sigh I think our narrator has a long wait ahead of her. It would be fun to read more about this woman and the hesitant Ricky and find out if she gets more than a promise ring!
Thanks Michael! It was fun to write, so maybe in the future she’ll get the real deal … the engagement ring!
this is beautiful in its simplicity. well done.
Thank you! I think that is the only way I know how to write – in simplicity. Thanks for reading!
True love! At thirteen at any rate.
I remember the day when there wasn’t such a thing as a “promise ring.” I can totally understand the SIGH!! This is a wonderful read.
Thank you Kirsten! I remember those days too! All the girls were wanting “engagement” rings!
Well, maybe she’ll take it as a second chance to find someone better able to commit! Poor girl 😉
That’s very true. I hadn’t thought of it that way.
This is a cute and funny story, I can see it as a romantic comedy. I imagine this lady walking through the labyrinth so excited and eager. Then wanh-wanh-wannnhhhhh! 😉
Maybe he just didn’t want her to be able to figure it out that easily and he REALLY surprises her later. 😀
Nicely done.
Hey, that’s a good idea! I hadn’t thought of that.
😉
I’ve always felt that promise rings were something of a pointless exercise. By the sounds of it, you’re protagonist feels something similar.
Yes, I believe she does. I agree. Promise rings are pointless (in my opinion).
Oh boy, a promise ring! 😀 novelty done PJ, I can only imagine the girl’s exasperation at the promise ring. haha, my boyfriend better not try that!
Haha! No kidding! What is it anyway? A pre-commitment commitment? LOL!
Hahahah, i wonder!
LOL!
A lovely little love story, PJ.To be given the ring as a surprise at the end of the maze is such a romantic idea. So nicely written, too. 🙂
Thank you Millie. Thank you for reading! 🙂 🙂
Nice.
Is it impossible to write a romance that goes well AND entertains? I’m going to have a go for valentine’s day.
Didn’t get the big sigh (good? bad?) until the promise ring thing was explained. Like saying I’m sort of serious but I’m hedging my bets… No wonder she sighed.
An entertaining read.
MJL 🙂
Thank you MJL! I’m glad you were able to understand. 🙂
I look forward to reading you Valentine Day’s love story. 🙂
Well, darn. No engagement ring. I feel her keen disappointment. But, on the other had, if the maze took only 10 minutes to navigate, I guess it wasn’t too heavy a price to pay for what is at least a promise of an engagement.
Oh dear, I bet she was hoping for something a bit more sparkly! Made me laugh, though 🙂
Yes! She was. 🙂
Oh, what a nice place for a promise ring. I would eat this up if it happened to me, PJ. Lovely story!
Thanks Amy!
Maybe the engagement ring will follow?
Hopefully. I think that’s what she wanted. 😀
Great story. It works well whether you know what a promise ring is (I didn’t) or not. I took it that as this was her telling a story past that in the time that had elapsed between getting the ring (with a promise of a wonderful future life together) that life hadn’t quite gone the way she had thought it promised on receiving it. Having read the comments and now knowing that there is such a ring I too would be slightly angered at receiving it, particularly with the romance of the labrynth to negotiate to get it.
Thank you Irene! I had never heard of promise rings until after I had gotten married but I couldn’t understand their purpose. A promise to get engaged someday?? A commitment to make a commitment? LOL!
Yes it sounds bizarre.
Yes it does but probably something fun for younger high school girls. Maybe?
In my day they were probably called friendship rings. Made a bit more sense at that age.
I guess it shows how much older I am than you. LOL, but we didn’t have promise rings or friendship rings. If the boys wanted us to go steady with them they gave us their high school ring to wear on a chain around our necks and some boys would let their girlfriends have there letterman’s jacket while they were going steady. Haha! See, I went over the hill a long time ago!
What you call the good old days. 🙂
Hmm, I think she was hoping for an engagement ring. But six months is probably too soon for him. Ah well, at least a promise ring is a step in the right direction!
Yes it is, but doesn’t make the disappointment feel any better. 😀
Very true.
Such a cute little romance 🙂 Look how the sun ray puts a bling on that teeny diamond chip…It was probably a big deal for Ricky – so carefully planned. Maybe the sigh is because – looking back – he’s the one she let get away.
Ellespeth
Yes, he’s the one she let get away. LOL!
When I was young, instead of promise rings there were class rings exchanged, and class pins and fraternity pins given. I don’t know if you’re familiar with this, but when your boyfriend (steady) gave you his class ring, you wound string or tape on it so it fit. He wore yours on his little finger. I’m probably severely dating myself with that information. 😀 Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
Haha! That’s what I remember too. The boys gave us their class rings and we wore them as a necklace. Some of the boys would give their girlfriends their Letterman’s Jacket to wear. I always wanted to get a Letterman’s Jacket, but never did. Yes, and they would wear our rings on their little fingers. I had forgotten about the girl’s class rings being given to the boy to wear.
That’s right. Some of the girls did wear the boy’s ring on a chain. I also now remember the girl’s wearing the boy’s Letterman Jackets. I think those things were a lot more fun than a promise ring. Neither of my kids even bought a class ring in high school or college. My brother bought a college class ring years after he graduated because it was The University of Virginia and he said it meant something to the people he worked with. I never bought a colege ring. Memories, memories. 🙂
Yes, sweet memories! I did buy a high school ring (not college). I lost mine when our house burned up many years ago.
Beautiful maze and wonderful words.
Thank you!