Until Next Time

Chapter 11: Home

Authors POV

Dreams. We all dream of becoming someone, achieving something, creating a place of our dreams in this real world. It keeps moving us, gives a reason to wake up every day. Our dreams make life more meaningful, fruitful to some extent. But only a few people accomplish that chance of living the reality of their dreams.

Aarav was unfortunately part of the other half till the day he said yes to his alliance with Ayra. Life does not always offer a second chance to persuade our dreams again. Aarav got his second chance and he oath to make the most of it, to live his dream, to convert it into his reality. Situations might get difficult in future, but he was determined to overcome all the obstacles and make the most of this chance. Right now, life feels like the art of kintsugi to him, mending and repairing a broken soul with gold dust of dreams, giving a new dimension to it, fresher and more beautiful than before.

"The new session will start in falls season somewhere around September of the year!" Sahil read the article on his laptop, making notes of major points in notepad

"What's the last date to apply?" Aarav inquisitively asked him while sipping on his tea in his cabin

"Since this is a special course offered by university, the selection process is lengthy, comprised of quite a few rounds, including research work and personal interview and it begins from last week of this month. Before that you need to submit your basic application with some of your original piece of work as a requirement." Sahil filled his best friend with all the information regarding the course the latter wished to enroll

"I don't have much of great original recent work, Sahil" Aarav disheartening frowned

"Shut up Aarav, stop self-doubting the caliber you have, your library is filled with many great masterpieces, we will pick the best ones from it and even if that's not satisfactory, we will plan new shoots asap" Sahil said, calming down the nerve of the man in front of him

"What if the university rejects my application? I mean I am just an average, a mediocre in this field. Not even young enough like other energetic students who will apply for this course" Aarav voiced out his concerns

"You are not 80-year-old bro, you are just 28, and age doesn't matter, what important is your sheer talent. Many of the applicants are half of your age but you hold more experience. And that's add a lot of advantages to your resume. Also, don't you dare to say that you are mediocre. People just capture moments in their cameras, but you capture life, your pictures spoke abundantly of how beautiful and enthralling simple shots can be. Yales surely won't lose on a great photographer like you." Those words brought a wave of euphoria and confidence to Aarav.

He still remembered he was just 8 when the first time he saw a camera at a relative's place, held that optical instrument in his hands and clicked pictures of his mother. She gave quite a few poses to him, and he delightfully captured all of them. Nandini was impressed by her son's hidden skill and brought him his first camera the very next day. And then there was no going back for him.

Photography became an integral part of his routine; the camera was his oldest best friend, and he was seen with it everywhere he travelled. Aarav distinctively captured life in this lens, bringing out those intricacies of world. He believed in making ordinary moments special by capturing them without any extravagant grandeur.

But then life happened, and he was forced to lose his dream of being a professional photographer. Every day he used to crave the camera. However, now he would make sure to view the entire world through his lens, just like he always wished for.