It was a black and white picture. Now I have it framed and it sits on the wooden showcase in my living room. To its right I have placed the vase that you’d given me then. It has no flowers. So that just the vase reminds me of you every time I look at it.

There is nothing much around the place such that whenever I sink into the couch and kill a pillow between my arms, all I can see is the black and white picture.

And you are staring out of it. I look at you and our eyes meet. And my mind travels back to the days when we’d just a few days in hand. The look on your face is that of suppressed laughter. You played safe, not knowing when the camera would click.

I look at the glint in your eyes. A glint that sometimes feels like everything to me.

But I can’t look into your eyes for a moment longer. I couldn’t then. And I can’t now. I start shaking and my hair stands up. I lower my gaze.

And there's me. Not looking at the camera but at you.

It was near my computer, remember? I didn’t know when you’d popped up.

‘We’r gonna get our picture done? WoW! Lemme do my hair…!’

‘Please…one minute..okay…fifteen seconds?’

And then suddenly you rushed to my side, asked me to face the cam and smile. In my chair, you standing beside me, I was still looking up at you and complaining, and it got clicked.

And that second froze forever. For me to sink into my couch and stare at it years later.

Your hands quietly lay on the rim of my chair. Felt like you would never let go.
Felt like one dream that should have come to true.