A Love Across Worlds

Chapter 3: Discovering Each Other

Bella's POV

The days between George's letters started to feel longer, like waiting for something essential. I hadn't told anyone about my new pen pal, not even Charlie. It felt too special, too delicate to share. George was my secret, my little piece of something good in the aftermath of everything that had happened.

Another two weeks passed, and I was nearly beside myself when his next letter finally arrived. I sat down at my desk, letting the familiar feeling of anticipation wash over me as I unfolded the parchment.

Dear Bella,

You're right-you and I might make a good team when it comes to secrets. That spot of yours sounds like something out of a fairy tale. And here I thought all we had were castles and rainy skies. I've always had a soft spot for places like that. My brother and I used to sneak out to this hill near our house where you could see the whole village stretched out beneath you. Something about it made everything seem... possible.

I'd like to see that spot of yours someday. But then, maybe it's better to keep it as something special, something just for you.

So here's something I haven't told anyone before: I'm terrible at sitting still. It's like there's always something calling me somewhere else, like I should be out there, doing something. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, but sometimes, I wonder if there's more. More than just the shop and my family. Maybe that's why I wrote to you-because I needed to feel like there was something beyond all that.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Tell me, Bella, what do you dream about? If you could go anywhere, be anything, what would it be?

Yours,
George

His words stirred something inside me, like he understood a part of me I hadn't even shown him yet. I sat there, the letter spread out in front of me, and for the first time in a long while, I let myself think about what I wanted. Not what I'd lost, not what I should do, but what I truly longed for.

I picked up my pen, the words flowing easily now.

Dear George,

If I'm being honest, I've spent so much time just trying to get through each day that I haven't let myself think about dreams. But there was a time when I wanted to travel, to see the world beyond this little town. I used to imagine myself in big cities or on quiet beaches somewhere, just living.

Lately, though, I think I'd settle for something simpler. I want a life where I feel like I belong, where the people around me accept me for who I am. Maybe that's a little too ordinary, but sometimes ordinary sounds like enough.

Your hill sounds amazing. I can almost see it, the way you described it. And you should go after that feeling, George, the one that makes you want more. You seem like someone who's meant for more.

Take care,
Bella

The letters became a lifeline. Weeks turned into months, and I found myself sharing things with George I hadn't told anyone else. I told him about the little things-how I liked to read in the morning when the house was quiet, how I loved the sound of the rain against my window at night. And he told me about his family, about the way his brothers teased him, about his mum's famous treacle tart, and his dad's odd fascination with the mundane.

I had started to feel like I knew him, like he was becoming a real part of my life.

One afternoon, I received a letter that felt different. There was an urgency to his words, a vulnerability I hadn't seen before. As I read, I found myself smiling and aching all at once.

Dear Bella,

I was thinking the other day, how strange it is that we've never met, but I feel like I've known you forever. I don't usually tell people the things I've told you. I guess it's easier when there's an ocean between us, when I don't have to see the look on your face if I say something daft.

But if I'm being honest, I feel like I need you to know... You've become important to me, Bella. I look forward to your letters like nothing else. My life's never been short on excitement, but there's something about your words, about the way you share yourself so openly. It's like a light in the middle of all this noise.

I'm not even sure what I'm saying, or if it makes sense. Just... thank you. For being you.

Yours,
George

I held the letter close to my chest, the words seeping into my heart. He had no idea, no idea how much those simple sentences meant to me. After everything I'd lost, after feeling like I was drifting in a world that no longer felt like my own, George was like a lifeline. He saw me, and that meant more than I could ever say.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was coming back to life.