My Podcast and Songshots

📷 The Picture of Us 🖼️

She is a traveller who lives the moment
He is a photographer who captures it
"Capturing stuff so it freezes time" His bio read
"Eyes are more than enough to capture memories" Her bio read
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Flash

The sun had barely peeked over the Himalayas when Rishi planted his tripod on the edge of a cliff, positioning his camera. His breath fogged in the cold morning air as he adjusted the lens. Click. Click. Each picture seemed more spectacular than the last, but something wasn't right. The angle wasn't perfect. He crouched to get a better view.

Just then, a figure strolled into his frame.

A woman, arms wide open, spinning slowly in a light breeze, completely unaware of his frustration. Rishi grumbled, lowering his camera.

"Excuse me, could you move a little to the side?" he called out, raising his voice over the wind.

The woman stopped spinning, turning toward him with a curious smile. Her eyes twinkled as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"Why?" she asked, laughing softly. "It's so much more fun from here."

Rishi blinked. Fun? He gestured toward his camera. "I'm trying to take a picture of the sunrise. You're in the shot."

Her smile broadened as she crossed her arms, completely unbothered. "Why take a picture? Just enjoy it."

His jaw tightened. Enjoy it? This was a once-in-a-lifetime shot-the way the sun's rays scattered through the clouds was nothing short of perfection.

"I am enjoying it," he retorted, his eyes narrowing. "That's why I'm capturing it."

She shrugged, walking closer, her bare feet making soft prints in the dirt. "Seems like you're too busy trying to freeze time to actually live it."

Before Rishi could respond, she glanced at the sky again, as if he hadn't just spoken, her gaze full of wonder. "The sun never looks the same twice, you know? No camera can do it justice."

With that, she turned away and walked down the hill, leaving Rishi baffled. Who the hell just walks into someone's shot like that and then... walks away? His eyes followed her until she disappeared down the winding trail. He didn't even know her name.

Flash

Later that day, Rishi was sitting at a local café, reviewing the morning's shots. The sunrise wasn't bad, but somehow it felt... flat. He flipped through each photo, but none of them captured what he had actually felt standing there.

Suddenly, there she was again. The same girl from earlier, breezing into the café like she owned the place, her hair wild from the wind. She was carrying nothing but a small notebook in one hand, completely carefree. Their eyes met.

"You again," she said, with a teasing smile as she slid into the seat across from him without asking. "Did you get your shot?"

Rishi raised an eyebrow, still a little annoyed but more curious than before. "Not really."

"I told you." She leaned back, her fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Some things can't be captured by a camera."

"I don't agree," Rishi countered. "The world is full of moments. They need to be preserved."

She tilted her head. "And what about the moment you're in? If you're so focused on saving it for later, aren't you losing it now?"

Rishi sighed. She had a point-one he didn't want to admit just yet.

"I'm Meera, by the way," she said, extending her hand.

"Rishi." He shook her hand, surprised at the spark of warmth that accompanied it.