Whisper of love

chapter 2

"If you want to go out, there is a coffee shop. Stay there, and I will close this shop," I suggested.

She responded, "I just came from there. I think I saw your friend. They told me to come and ask you. Now I'm here. Why are you closing this shop for me? We can go later to the place; there's no rush."

Perplexed about his actions, I wondered why he was doing this. As she tried to place her camera on a fragile chair, I sensed it would break. Holding her hand, I prevented a disaster as the chair collapsed.

"Are you alright?" I asked. Handing her the camera, she noticed there was dust on my face and insisted on cleaning it.

I wiped my face with my hand, and she smiled, taking a tissue paper from her bag and putting it on my face. I looked at her, she gazed into my eyes, then looked down and stayed away. I turned around.

"Okay, you can wait outside, then I will close this shop," I told her.

"Your place is dark but beautiful. I will take a photo of this place," she said. "Do whatever you feel like," I replied.

Maya took the camera and captured the first image of me. I asked, "Why are you taking it?" She came to my side, took the glasses I had put on my face, and said, "Now you look photogenic." I took my glasses from her hand, "Okay, now take that photo."

"Don't think about anything. My camera lens is not good; that's why I talk like that," she said. She cleaned the camera lens well and took a photo.

Every time she took a photo, she seemed engrossed in the moment. I suggested she should try our babru food, and after she took all the photos, she left.

"I didn't want to take much time in our shop and finish everything immediately and close my shop."

'I'm sorry I'm late,' I said. 'Babru, this one is for you,' she gave it, and I took that babru.

"It's so good, like butter on my tongue. I feel I am in heaven," she expressed.

"Can we go to that place?" I asked.

"Which place?" she said.

"Don't you think you'll forget about it?"

She smiled, "Come, let's go," she said. "We have good rains in our place, but it is very cold here, and it will be very cold next month," I said.

We walked; she took photos of every place.

I asked, "How do you like this photograph so much?"

She said it was a way of keeping the past safe in a lens.

"Can you give me your camera?" She gave it to me; it was very heavy. I had seen all the photos taken by her, and all the photos in this are natural. It looks like they are real, it feels like it's happening there.

"Are you telling all this to impress me, or are you lying?" She said.

I took a photo of her with the camera and gave it to her, saying, "Tell me how it looks?"

"This photo is not very good clarity," she said.

"Now you understand what I am saying; there is a difference between what I take and what you take. That is what I am trying to say."

"No one has ever told me like this; some people I have seen just tell me, 'Where did you buy this photo?' and 'I can't believe you are in photography.'"

"But my parents and my younger brother are not like that. He also says that whatever I take is good. When you say this, it reminds them; I miss them a lot, and I also miss my father a lot," she said.

"Why, what happened with your father?" Then the place comes when I ask.

"This is the place! Okay, give me your number," she asked.

"Why?" I replied.

"Only then I can ask if it is a matter of staying," she gives me her phone to dial the number. "Please give me your number."

I took her phone, dialed my number on it, and gave her the phone. I walked away from there, and she ran after me.

"You have closed the shops for me; I can't leave you alone. Why don't you also come with me? I am talking about myself only. I don't know anything about you," she said.

"That is not necessary at all; you mind your own business. I have my own shop," I said and walked away.

"Oh... wait," she shouted.

Then there is a voice on the radio in the festival: "The first day of the competition is going to be held; everyone is in this festival. This competition is taking place at the church side. In ten minutes, this competition will start. Participate in this competition, and participate in the 10 competitions that will be held in this festival."

"What are they saying there?" she asked.

"It always happens in our town year after year; this competition is good."

"Why don't you participate in this?" she asked.

"That's..." I said.

"Let's both of us go and join that competition; come on."

"No, that competition is for..." I said.

"I want to join," she said. She took my hand and dragged me.