“‘Perfect! Why don’t you hold hands and turn back to the camera?” A friend of mine who was assisting me directed the couple. We were on a pre-wedding photoshoot for a cute couple in their early twenties who were getting married a week later. I was being accompanied by my friend at one of the quiet beaches on the northern shore. The evening was finally calm after the windy noon, making it the perfect setting for the photoshoot. I was sitting at one corner of the beach looking back and forth at the beautiful couple and the marvelous scenery.
Waves of memories filled with pessimistic thoughts swept my consciousness. And the memory lane took me to the time when we were us. That soon to wed couple reminded me of us. There were so many similarities amongst us. I could see the battle between hesitation and excitement on the groom’s face as he was about to kiss, a mixed feeling that i was used to, long ago. The bride to be looked confident to express her ecstatic emotion. I remembered she was never shy to show her affections to me. The excitement won over hesitation and they kissed under the clear golden sky at the sandy beach while the sun dissolved into the deep ocean; a picture-perfect moment. “Gorgeous, and we’re done for today” My friend looked at me for the approval to wrap up for the day. I nodded to show affirmation of his decision. After we bid farewell to the couple We headed towards the city. “This isn’t fair” unconsciously words escaped my breath, as I was gazing at the moon through the cabs windowsills. “I agree, we could have finished it today, only if they have arrived 2 hours earlier.” My friend showed exasperation at the couple’s late arrival. “It’s not fair that she left, it could have been us, but..” my voice rose high as I remembered the way she left. My friend looked at me with disbelief and surprise seeing me burst in temperament. Many thoughts started filling my mind like stars evading the northern night sky.
I returned home late, my friends were waiting for me for dinner. I lied to them that I ate outside to escape the dinner. I couldn’t tell them I lost my appetite due to some past memories. I locked myself in my room, lights off; dark silence. Even after 4 years since that relationship was wrecked, I was still mourning my loss. “If she had stayed life would have different and we could conclude our story with happily ever after. Why did she have to go?” The tornado of emotion got stronger. I started panicking and I found myself stalking her insta profile, the one that I made for her 6 years ago. She was still using it, but the old pictures were replaced with newer ones. It made me feel how things are easily replaceable these days. She was living her dream life with the man of her dreams. And I was waiting miserably for her return. I was hopeless. Suddenly I remembered the guy that dated her after my break up. To some extent, I blame him for everything that happened. He came close to her as a friend. Not that I didn’t know his cruel intentions. I had warned her once I was sure he was playing some mind game. He convinced her that I wasn’t right for her. It was so much of a miserable scene that I pleaded with him to stop the harm. Instead, he went on to convince her to leave me. Soon they dated but couldn’t last more than a year. If he wasn’t serious why did he burned my dreams to ashes? Why did he have to do that? I stalked his profile. He too was living a high life. I asked myself why it was only harsh on me? Just because I was emotionally attached to her? Or just because my dream was wrecked just when it was about to come true? Maybe some questions are hard to answer and some memories hard to forget. I scrolled down my gallery to find a picture of us together. This is what I like about photographs, they are proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat everything was perfect. # 1473DaysAnd9748KMLater
