Love Shorts - A Collection of Stories

Introduction
This story is inspired by real life experiences and is partly fictional. Which part of it is fictional? Well, I'd leave it to the audiences to decide. It is also my first time writing romance, I do not know how welcoming it will be but should the majority voice their support I will continue to donate stories, and hopefully somewhere along the way meet other writers, in which case I hope you may also share your stories here be it fictional or real life. Enjoy!

The message above was written for the audiences of STOMP, a popular Singapore based forum. I began writing stories when a STOMPer started a "fan fiction" just for laughs as parody of every STOMPers' avatars. Eventually, I was inspired to write my own stories after someone mentioned ONS(one night stands). And as there has a rise in real life love stories, I decided to start a romance fiction just to entertain the masses and hopefully provide some variety to all the fellow STOMPers.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Chapter One

Act I: Confessions
As Mark sat at the table watching the singers in Lunar, a popular club at Clarke Quay, Jasmine noticed how quiet he had been. "Why are you so quiet?" She asked.

Mark looked at her and smiled, "I'm enjoying the music".

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself!" Jasmine shouted amidst the noise.

Later in the night, they exited Lunar with a bunch of her friends. As Jasmine, Wendy, Jess and Ferlyn stood outside the club smoking, Mark joined them. And despite being a non smoker, he watched as they lit up.

"Hey Mark, why don't you sleep over at my place tonight lor? Don't take taxi home, very expensive." Jasmine suggested, being the caring friend that she is.

"Er.. okay, I hope it wouldn't trouble you." Mark replied, grateful for her concern and happy that he might to finally spend the time he had been fighting hard for with Jasmine.

"What time Bryan coming arh?" Jasmine asked.

"He's on the way, reaching soon." Wendy said. "Good hor? Always got men come and pick us up."

"Yah lah he doesn't drink mah."

"You damn good lor!" Ferlyn teased.

"Of course lah, I'm Wendy leh!"

5 minutes later, a silver Mazda MPV rolled into the taxi stand and the gang got in. The car was immediately filled with chatter, Mark sat at the back silently listening to the girls as they talked during the journey.

Later on, the car turned from Weld Road into Kelantan Road where a block of HDB flats were located. Jasmine and Mark alighted and thanked their friends for the ride home.

"This is the first time a guy sleeps over at my place leh, you should be glad ok?" Jasmine laughed, teasing Mark.

"Serious arh?" Mark beamed, happy to hear such words from Jasmine, the girl he had been longing for. They had been working together for the last 10 months and it was only months ago when he fell deep head over heels for her, a girl he had come to respect not just as his equal but also as a friend, a hardworking, loving, loyal and most importantly a sensible woman.

She was dressed in a white tee shirt with a pink glittering heart, a denim hot pants, wearing a white sandals he had bought for her many months ago, long flowing shoulder length hair with a striking white headband.

Together, they walked to the elevator. "How many times have you come to my house arh?" Jasmine asked.

"Er.. I think twice bah? This must be the third?"

"Hahah! I see."

An awkward silence fell as the two took the lift up to her house, both tired after long hours of work and clubbing at Lunar. Moreover they had already drank quite a bit.

Mark and Jasmine entered her cramped up two room flat, where she was living with her mother, together with her two daughters from a previous marriage. She was 18 when she got married and later divorced after a series of fights with her ex-husband. Now 26, she decided to renew her life.

"Erm sorry arh where's your toilet?" Mark asked, never having used her bathroom before.

"Oh it on the right corner of the kitchen." She replied.

Mark gently pulled open the folding doors, entered and did his stuff.

Later on, as he was washing his face Jasmine called, "Mark!"

"Yes darling?" He called back, the usual term of endearment he had been using since the day he started wooing her, and she had come to accept it as his privilege, after all they were good friends.

"Do you need a towel?" She asked.

"No it okay, I'm not going to take a shower."

"Are you sure? You say one arh don't say I never ask." She replied cheekily as she washed up at the kitchen basin.

Mark exited and then sat himself on her sofa on as Jasmine entered to take her shower, emerging later dressed in nothing but a long blue colored collar shirt and a pair of white panties. She was comfortable enough to let him see her in that attire.

By then Mark was already lying on the sofa, ready to take a nap. Jasmine walked over from behind and said, "sleep properly lah, like that bad for your body."

Mark obediently laid down and let his legs stretch to the fullest. She then touched his hair and wished him good night before taking a step back, ready to enter her bedroom. Mark looked into her eyes, and at that instant an impulse took over. He had been longing for this moment, now he's got it he wasn't going to let go.

Before she could turn, Mark let himself grab her by the hand and pull her back. Jasmine looked back into his eyes and panicked. "What are you doing?"

Without replying, Mark got off from the sofa and stood up still gazing into her eyes. "There's something I've been wanting to do." He said, suddenly taking her into his arms.

Jasmine did not budge, overwhelmed by his actions. Instinctively, he slid his hand up to her cheeks and planted a kiss to her lips. At that moment, sparks flew, both their hearts started racing. Mark had finally done it, the opportunity he had wishing for a long time. Lust took over, despite Jasmine already seeing someone else. She could no longer care. This guy had done everything and touched her heart, and somewhere deep beneath, she too won. Mark had taken the initiative and broke boundaries.

She returned the kiss and soon it became passionate, both in a tight embrace. And no, it wasn't going to stop there. Mark let himself loose and his right hand soon moved to her breast, squeezing it gently as they kissed. Jasmine helplessly let out a soft moan.

"This..wait.. this is wrong." She said, struck by a sudden sense of guilt and immediately stopped.

"I love you Jasmine, I really do! Just give me a chance please!" Mark blurted out, finally confessing his feelings to her.

"I... I don't know." She said as she looked away, biting her lips, anxious and afraid.

"You don't but I do, I know I've been in love with you for a very long time... can't we be more than friends?"

"I'd be willing to do anything for you, I swear. Can't you feel it? After everything I've done for you?" Mark begged, desperate to win her heart. He had indeed done nearly everything he could. For the first time in his life, he had fallen deep in love with a woman and since then made a decision to commit. Within his heart he knew, if he lost her he would live the rest of his life with regrets.

........ story to be continued (if there's enough positive responses).

Act II: Hope

Holding her hands, Mark poured out his emotions, "it scary, I know..but I'm scared too."

"I remember sitting there with you just now, at the bench when we were drinking and you said it best we remain friends." Said Mark.

"But I don't want to, because I really love you and I wouldn't forgive myself if I just say yes. Jasmine, look at me."

Mark begged, desperate. He then took Jasmine's hand and put it against his chest, "Can you feel it? I'm telling you the truth. You said you wanted to hear words spoken from the bottom of a man's heart and here it is."

"I know, I know. I know you really love me!" Jasmine cried, tears flowing.

"But... I don't know what to do!"

"I just want you to accept me!" said Mark.

She looked at him, lost and confused. That was her, the kind of girl who would be lost in such situations despite her strengths. Whenever it came to love, she would never make the right choices and here it was, her colleague pursuing her to accept him. True enough, he had been good to her and she remembered the beautiful pair of white sandals he bought for her, the expensive and delicate Esprit watch which cost almost $400. He had been by her side ever since they were friends, him watching over her the day she broke down at work in the morning after a fight with her husband.

He simply carried her up and got her to sit down while he took over all the work, opening the entire kitchen all by himself and then proceeding to buy her lunch, just to calm her down. He was a good friend, and no doubts probably a dedicated lover.

But..... Jasmine was guilty, simply because she was seeing someone else now. Accepting Mark would break all rules and maybe hurt the other party. She was lost, but she wanted him equally badly.

Throwing aside all concerns, she gave in and accepted Mark's kiss as he took her before she could even say another word. Everything else would wait. The two embraced, lips locked and tongues wrestling. The couple stumbled in a mad lust into the small opposite room, shutting the door with one foot and laid onto the mattress on the floor, still kissing with Mark on top of her.

In a swift movement, Jasmine stripped Mark of his white tee shirt. Passionately, Mark kissed her neck, savoring every inch of her skin while squeezing her breasts. Jasmine responded, whimpering, her fingers strode down his bare chest. The feeling of her fingers in contact with his rough skin excited him more and he soon began unbuttoning her shirt, anxious to please her. Having successful opened her shirt, his fingers instinctively found themselves at the bra clips and deftly snapped them open. In the next few seconds, they were both moving to get her bra off, piece by piece of her underwear flying to the side.

Jasmine gasped, amazed at the speed she was getting naked. Just as her vagina started to wet, Mark kissed her neck, licking her like an expert and soon she was eager for more, one hand wandering down between his legs in attempt to locate his zip. The moment her fingers found the zip of his pants, the fly opened and she gave his pants a push. Mark went along, pausing for a moment to get his pants off. As soon they came off, her hand was eagerly feeling the bulge of his large erected penis against his black briefs, the other hand behind his back as they kissed. Then Mark broke the kiss and his mouth went to her breast, another hand teasing her right exposed nipple, rolling it between his fingers as he sucked the other.

Jasmine moved her hand behind his head, enjoying the sensation and trying her best not to moan too loudly. Mark however was not slowing down, his tongue flickered against each nipple as he gave her breasts a squeeze. Jasmine went crazy, her fingers wandering up and down his body, feeling every inch of his skin. Slowly and patiently Mark worshiped every part of her naked body, kissing every inch of her body. One hand moved underneath her knee, tracing the back of her legs. This further aroused Jasmine and her wetness grew, along with her desire.

Soon, she had her panties peeled off when Mark found his way between her legs. Jasmine whimpered once again as Mark gave her clit a lick followed by a fantastic oral that sent her to an orgasm. Wanting to return the favor, she got up and made Mark lie down, her hand stroking his hard erect penis. She wanted him badly, and she wanted to taste him badly. Mark closed his eyes as her mouth enclosed around his member, tongue swirling around his shaft and her head bobbed up and down, Mark's breathe getting heavier.

They stopped after awhile and kissed, Mark begun to rub Jasmine's already wet and flowing pussy with his fingers, within moments bringing her to another climax. Soon he was on top of her, legs parting and he penetrated. Mark begun to pump as Jasmine gasped, the sensation of his dick against the raw flesh of her vulva brought her to a new height. Each thrust increased, both hearts raced. She held him tightly with legs clamped his back, moving her hips to urge Mark to pump deeper, harder and faster, changing positions a few times until Jasmine came again, her love juice almost soaking the mattress along with their sweat. "Cum inside me!" She begged. Mark looked deep into her eyes, and for that moment made passionate love to her, two becoming one until he finally came, spilling his seed deep into her spurt after spurt.

The next morning, Mark woke up on the sofa dressed. He had made sure that Jasmine went back to sleep with her daughters. The door was opened, and he sat up, gazing at Jasmine as she slept, somehow finding a sense of peace from the sight of her asleep. She was beautiful.

Her daughters had already woke up and watching the TV in the bedroom, making lots of noise. "Mommy mommy! You see you see!!" Squealed Patricia, her naughty six year old, a chubby and adorable little girl. While her little four year old daughter Lucius was quietly sitting by her mother's side, eyes glued to the cartoon show.

"Hey, be a good girl and don't disturb mommy okay?" Said Mark, chiding the kid and hoping Jasmine would not have her much needed sleep interrupted.

Patricia stared, lost for a moment, kept quiet and went on to play.

Mark then noticed Jasmine's mother and greeted her, an old woman of late 50s nearing her 60s. She was frail, with streaks of white coloring her hair.

"You waiting for Jasmine huh?" said Mrs.Chong, oblivious and unaware of their deeds the previous night.

"Erm no aunty, it okay I have to go to work soon."

"Do you need a toothbrush?" asked the mother.

Mark smiled and took another look at Jasmine. He knew that from today onwards, things would be different, and hopefully for the best.....

To Be Continued.

Act III: Conversations

Mark sat at the chair in the living room as Madam Chong made a cup of hot coffee for him. "You are Jasmine's colleague huh?"

"Yes auntie, we work together."

"You look familiar, have I seen you before?"

"Erm... yes I think it was a few months ago."

"Oh, no wonder." said Madam Chong, "so how is work?".

"It, okay. Not too bad but we're quite short handed now." replied Mark as he took a sip of the warm coffee, savoring it. No one had ever made coffee for him in the morning, and this was a first. It felt good.

"But sometimes, it really tough.. just me, her and a few other staff."

"You're still young, you should be able to take it. How old are you?"

"Oh I'm 24 auntie, not really getting any younger."

:"Sigh, better than an old woman like me... I thought you own the shop anyway."

"Nono auntie, I'm not the boss" said Mark and then he paused for a moment before saying, "If only I am."

"It okay, you're still capable just like Jasmine.. but haiya this daughter of mine is stubborn and short tempered."

"Well, I think she's changing for the better, she's not that bad." Mark commented as he took one last sip and put the cup back down on the table beside him, taking one last glance at the kids.

"Anyway thanks for the coffee auntie, I'm going to work soon and oh thanks for the toothbrush, I'd visit you again when I'm free!"

"You're welcomed." Madam Chong smiled, and proceeded to send Mark off.

Mark, smiled back, said his farewells and walked towards the lift.

Later on in the afternoon, Jasmine woke up to see her daughters, Patricia and Lucius watching the television out at the living room. The kids, thrilled to see their mom awake greeted her. "good morning mummy!! why you wake up so late?!" cried Patricia the elder sister.

"Mummy I love youuuu!!" said Lucius the youngest as she ran to her mother and gave her a peck on the cheeks.

"I love you too Lucius." Jasmine smiled, giving her daughter a hug.

"Then me leh mummy??" Patricia said, mischievously.

"Haiya, you went drinking again last night huh is it?!" Madam Chong walked in, unhappy with her daughter's behavior.

"Ma, I just went celebrating with some friends because my colleague's leaving soon!" replied Jasmine, annoyed.

Jasmine and her mother had always been at loggerheads despite loving each other, they had afterall no one but each other to depend on. For them, it was a love hate relationship.

"Patricia!! Be nice to your sister and let her play with the computer okay?!" Jasmine shouted as Patricia nudged her little sister aside, who was as anxious as her to play with the pink computer filled with 'My Melody' decals.

Mark in the meantime, was already at work in the restaurant at Far East Plaza , focused as he fried Chu Ka Chahan(a Chinese inspired Japanese fried rice) at the stove. And as he poured the finished fried rice into a red plastic Japanese styled ricebowl, his mind began to wander, returning to what happened the previous night.. the touch of Jasmine's smooth skin, the taste of her vagina, his hands traveling down below her thighs followed by flashes of them making passionate love. Those thoughts made him smile, yet at the same time he felt uneasy. Something else was bothering him but he just couldn't say what was amiss.

It was already 4.05PM as he looked at his phone, a silver Samsung SGH-Z720. He had sent her an SMS earlier when he left and till now there hadn't been a reply.

...to be continued.

Act III: Conversations (Part 2)

Writer's Note: I apologise for the late update as I have been getting caught up by work. The graveyard shifts prove to be a killer, but anyway here's a continuation of Act iii.

For a while Mark found himself in a daze, hit by a sense of paranoia.

"Ah Mark, if you miss your girlfriend then call her lah! No need keep looking at your phone one." teased Chris, his head chef.

"Aiyah people don't want me what to do?"

"Are you sure anot? How you know? Maybe people waiting for you to call?"

Mark looked at his watch, ignoring Chris's comments as his head chef laughed by himself. "Oh, I'm getting off work you two enjoy yourself arh!" Said Chris as he walked to the backroom at the kitchen to change.

"Idiot." Mark muttered under his breath.

Chris emerged from the back later on and said, smiling like a fox, "I go already arh, bye!! Don't think too much lah!!"

After his chef stepped out the glass door, Mark leaned against the the fridge beside the sliding kitchen door and watched as the crowds outside went by, his mind constantly carried away by thoughts of Jasmine. He couldn't help but wonder if he had something wrong, why she wouldn't reply his messages.

Then suddenly, his world brightened up as Jasmine stepped into the restaurant as the glass door slide open. "Sorry sorry I'm late!" Chirped Jasmine as usual, smiling like a sunshine dressed in a white tee shirt with black sleeves and a white denim shorts with her long flowing hair slightly curled on both ends.

Mark could only stare as the love of his life walked in and off to the backroom to change.

"Wah Jasmine you today very pretty!!" commented Anqi, the waitress from China.

"Where got, I look so ugly now not enough sleep!" Jasmine remarked and she laughed.

Later in the evening, the kitchen burst into life as Mark and Jasmine set to work once again, preparing ingredients, carrots sliced, pots boiling on the convection stove and
oven humming away as something inside cooked.

As Jasmine pulled out a large pot from under the metal table and carried it to the sink to wash, she broke the brief silence and said, "can you not go?"

Mark looked at her with a very concerned expression, sighed and reluctantly replied, "if I could I would've stayed but I've already given people my word."

"All of you are good, walking out one by one leaving me alone here! What am I going to do then?!"

"But I wasn't expecting to go so soon I swear!" argued Mark.

He had taken a job offer at another restaurant and everyone knew. Mark however, was not the only kitchen crew planning to leave the restaurant, Derrick, his senior and sworn brother had left a month ago and Chris their head chef was rumored to leave anytime, and now, Mark was too about to leave.

Jasmine was not too happy about the predicament given the strength of the restaurant and her limited capability to run the entire kitchen alone. Deep inside, she wanted to beg Mark not to go, and of all people he was the one she stayed on for, having previous thoughts of abandoning the job. Without him, life would be different and work would be hell.

Mark however had made up his mind, deciding to grab an opportunity to run a cafe on his own having been offered the job by another company. To him, the only way to step up his career was to keep moving; something Jasmine could not yet understand....

Act IV: Entrance

Jasmine sighed, disappointed by Mark's decision to leave. The restaurant was already falling apart, and Mark's eventual department would only bring additional pressure.

"While you and Derrick had your holidays, I haven't even taken one for the past few months!" Jasmine lamented as she set the pot into the sink and turned the tap.

"I will be back whenever I can to help out I promise." Mark said, not wanting to carry on the subject.
Back at home at night; Lucius was lying against the floor scribbling on a drawing pad with her legs up in the air while Patricia had her eye glued on the television, watching a show with her grandmother and the maid. The door opened and the girls screamed as Jasmine got home. Both Patricia and Lucius then got off the sofa and ran towards her to give their mom a hug.

"Aiyohhh, the both of you still watching TV so late? What's there to watch?" Jasmine remarked, tired from work.

"They finish homework already?" Jasmine asked the maid, Joan.

"Yes mom"

"There's dinner on the table, quickly go take a shower then eat already." said Mrs Chong to her daughter.

“What did you all cook tonight?” Jasmine said as she walked into the kitchen.

Later on, Jasmine was lying on the bed staring at her phone as her family was sleeping. Just then the message tone came on.

"Oei sister, our wedding dinner will b at Holiday Inn Atrium at 18th November dun 4gt hor and tell James also!" wrote the sender, Angie.

Jasmine smiled, it was news from her good friend and she replied, "Dun worry lah, I will be dere. Lucius birthday coming soon btw."

Then Jasmine began sending another message that wrote, "Dear, Angie wedding dinner coming soon, you be my partner okay?" The recipient was addressed to James.

Putting aside her phone, Jasmine gazed at her daughters and patted Lucius as she slept, before she too, fell asleep.

The next afternoon, Mark was out shopping for gifts at an Arts shop in Takashimaya. He had decided to pick something different instead of getting some soft toy for Lucius, after all the kids must have a lot of toys at home. He took awhile before stopping to take a look at the stack of drawing pads and crayons lying at the bottom of his feet, something he loved when he was just a four year old. Mark stood there, hand rubbing his chin in deep thoughts. He looked at the box of Crayola crayons and looked at the box set with the sketch pad, then finally, he bent down to pick up the box set and made his way to the cashier.

“Can you wrap this up for me too?” Said Mark as he paid for the items

“Of course, but there’s a one dollar charge, just pick the paper at your left.” Said the counter assistant.

Mark looked towards his left and saw the rolls of wrapping papers neatly laid on a rack and briefly picked a bright green colored wrapper with fancy patterns and Happy Birthday printed all over and waited as Lucius’s crayons and sketch pad box set was wrapped.

“Thanks a lot!” Mark smiled, picked up the bag from the friendly assistant and later on made his way to Far East Plaza.

When he reached there, Jasmine was already at work, staring out at the counter as Mark entered the kitchen. There were little customers and the kitchen remained clean and shiny along with the silence. Jasmine smiled as Mark walked in, then she noticed the gift.

“Oh erm, guess what? I bought something for Lucius.” Said Mark.

“Aiyohh, you didn’t have to, don’t waste your money lah.”

“It okay you know, not like she has a birthday everyday.”

“Okay lah thanks anyway.” Said Jasmine, smiling as usual.

Mark then walked to the backroom and laid the gift right beside Jasmine's brown and pink LV bag on the metal racks.

"How much did it cost?" Shouted Jasmine as Mark changed into his kitchen attire.

"Doesn't matter, it was less than $30!" Mark said and emerged after awhile.

"Okay my turn to go home." Chirped Jasmine, walking pass Mark as he took over and the kitchen was alive again as Mark set to work.

The day passed and eventually set into the night, Mark was all alone in the restaurant sweeping the floor when his phone rang. It was Jasmine.

"Yes darling? Looking for me?" said Mark.

"She opened up the gift already, so anxious when her birthday is tomorrow."

"Ohh alright, hahah! I hope she likes it."

"Fighting over it with the sister."

"Aiyoh.. Patricia also. Should share with her sis."

Then suddenly Lucius's innocent voice came into the conversation chirping happily,"Hello, the present you buy for who?"

"For you lor, you like?"

"For me? Really?"

"Never thank uncle Mark?" said Jasmine in the background.

"Orh! Thank you uncle Mark!" chirped Lucius over the phone.

Mark smiled, his entire day brighten up with the call. It was as though his own daughter had called to thank him for getting her a birthday gift, and for him it was a step into Jasmine's life.

Made In Singapore??

My mom just came back from a holiday in Vietnam and she bought me two Adidas shirts...... authentic and genuine upon my inspection.

The only thing was, when I looked at the label I found this, "MADE IN SINGAPORE". I almost laughed my head off, and I said, "ma, you went to Vietnam and bought stuff from Singapore arh?"

"Huh? Made in Singapore? Where?"

"Dere~ the label there see?"

"Cannot see lah..what does it say?" (mom is Hyperopia)

"Made In Singapore."

"Huh??! Kena conned!!"

LOL~!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!