photograph [h.s]

viii

i silently started at the cup of coffee in front of me. in any other occasion, the coffee would've been gone in seconds, but the knot in my stomach wouldn't even let me breathe.

"so," he said and my heart skipped a beat. "are you gonna tell me why you have a picture of me? you almost passed out when you saw me," he smiled a goofy grin and took a sip of his coffee.

"yeah, thanks for catching me out there," i said while sheepishly scratching my arm.

"no problem," he smiled once again.

i sighed, knowing there was no escape. wasn't this what i wanted? didn't i want to meet him so badly? maybe it's different because dreaming is so much safer than reality.

"i don't have that picture on purpose," i started. "it just kind of happened."

"glad you're not a stalker," he shrugged with a shy smile. "would you mind elaborating?"

and so i told him. i told him how a meaningless picture had turned into a crazy adventure, how something that was supposed to remain a photograph eloped into so much more.

i was honestly surprised he was still there after i told him my crazy ass story. actually looking intrigued by it.

"well," he nodded his head. "i'm harry," he said reaching to shake my hand.

"i'm kaia."

"it's a pleasure to meet someone as weird as i am."

it sounded like a beautiful compromise.