Letters Across the Ocean

 

"Letters Across the Ocean"

Sasha and Emma had been dating for over a year when Emma got the news that she had been accepted to her dream university in Paris. They were ecstatic, but it also meant one thing: their relationship would go long distance. Emma was moving across the ocean, thousands of miles from Sasha.

At first, they promised to call and video chat every day. They even sent each other love letters, something that felt more personal, more real than texts. Every time Sasha received a letter from Paris, she felt like Emma was right there with her. Their love felt alive, burning even across the miles.

But as time passed, things grew harder. The time difference meant that one was usually tired, and missed calls became more common. Sometimes, Sasha would stay up late waiting for Emma, only to fall asleep alone on the couch. One day, she saw a picture Emma posted with her new friends in Paris, laughing and looking carefree. The caption read, "Living the dream." Sasha felt a twist in her heart—was Emma happier without her?

A month later, on a video call, Emma seemed distant. "I feel like we're living separate lives," she said. Sasha's heart sank. "You don’t love me anymore?" she asked, her voice shaking. Emma hesitated. "I do… but things are so different now. I feel like I’m losing myself here trying to hold onto something that feels so far away."

Sasha was devastated. She spent the next few weeks feeling torn apart, missing Emma more than ever but wondering if she should let her go.

One night, Sasha got an unexpected email. It was from Emma. She was coming home for the holidays. Her heart raced, torn between excitement and worry about what Emma would say when they met.

When they finally saw each other at the airport, it felt both familiar and foreign. Sasha wrapped her arms around Emma tightly, but the hug felt different, guarded. That night, they stayed up talking, pouring out all their fears, insecurities, and frustrations. Emma admitted that she had started feeling things for someone she met in Paris, though nothing had happened.

Sasha felt a sharp pain but listened, and they both cried as they realized how much they still cared for each other. For the next two weeks, they spent every day together, like old times, rediscovering the spark that once kept them inseparable.

By the time Emma had to leave again, they both felt something had healed between them. They decided to give it another try, not by promising to talk every day, but by letting each other grow—even if it meant spending time apart. They would keep their love alive, trusting that distance could make their hearts grow even fonder, not weaker.