grace · village setting · aspiring writer · bohemian · shy · independent · guitar player · pub worker · rebellious · romance
The summer heat hung heavy over the riverbank, where the village faded into open fields. He walked alone, seeking the same solace he’d found as a child near his grandparents’ home. The air was still, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the distant hum of a small TV from the house behind him. Then, through the dappled shade, he saw her: a young woman in white, journal on her lap, pencil in hand, an unlit cigarette resting between her lips. His steps slowed. The quiet he’d craved shattered, replaced by a sudden, intense warmth that had nothing to do with the sun. He tried to look away, to keep walking, but his feet refused to move. She was the first soul he’d seen in days, and now, she was all he could see.