“Dear Hannah,
I found your note. You have a clever way with words. I’d like to keep this secret too. Maybe tomorrow, we can exchange another?
–Ethan”
Hannah read the note twice, a smile spreading across her face.“Tomorrow, then,” she whispered, tucking it safely into her sketchbook.
And just like that, a new kind of connection began—one built on letters, secrecy, and the thrill of discovery. Neither of them realized that these small exchanges would slowly unravel the walls they had built around their hearts, until one day, the letters weren’t enough—they would have to face the feelings blooming in real life.
Chapter 4:
Hidden Hints
The next few days turned into a ritual. Each morning, Hannah left a carefully folded note beneath the lamppost, and each evening, Ethan replied. Their letters were simple at first—thank-yous, observations about the boardwalk, comments about the weather—but gradually, they began to reveal little pieces of themselves.
Hannah wrote about her sketches, the way light hit the waves, and the townspeople who passed by without noticing the beauty around them.
Ethan shared snippets of his life—his job in the city, his quiet afternoons writing by the sea, and the small things that made him smile.
One morning, Hannah found a note that made her heart skip.
“Dear Hannah,
I watched the sunrise today and thought of you. Not in a romantic way… at least, I don’t think yet. But your sketch of the kite came to mind, and I realized how much I enjoy imagining what you see when you look at the world.
–Ethan”
She held the note close, her cheeks warming.“Not in a romantic way… but I think it already is,” she murmured to herself.
Later that day, Hannah added a new sketch to her note—a small kite soaring in the sunrise—and left it under the lamppost. The next evening, Ethan had responded:
“Dear Hannah,
Your kite makes me smile more than the real one ever did. Thank you for sharing it.
–Ethan”
The playful, tender exchange became a comfort, a secret world where they could be themselves. And with each note, each sketch, and each word, the connection between them deepened.
Little did they know, the lines between letters and reality were beginning to blur, and soon, the boardwalk would witness more than just words—it would witness their hearts meeting for the first time.
Chapter 5:
First Meeting
Hannah approached the boardwalk that evening with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today’s letter exchange had been different—Ethan’s note contained an invitation.
“Dear Hannah,
Would you like to meet near the lighthouse at sunset? No letters, just us, for a little while. I promise not to make it awkward.
–Ethan”
Her heart fluttered as she read the note again. Just us…
She arrived early, the sun dipping low over the horizon, casting golden streaks across the waves. Her sketchbook was clutched against her chest, her mind racing with possibilities.
A shadow appeared on the edge of the lighthouse walkway. Ethan. He looked up as she approached, smiling in that way that made her chest tighten.
