“Great to hear that you’re holding up well,” my psychologist told me as I finished up my 30th appointment with him. I nodded as he guided me towards the doors.
I stepped outside and glanced at my watch. It was 8:30 p.m., which marked sunset. I looked up – the colors of the sky blended like a strawberry-pineapple smoothie from Booster Juice. I grabbed my phone, slipped it out of my pockets, opened the camera app, and pressed the circle button in the bottom middle of my screen. Snap.
Images suddenly filled my mind of the girl who captivated me since my high school years. She would love this moment, I thought. She loved photography. And sometimes, she would take a night stroll across her apartment, just to capture the sunset.
The last time I saw her was over 15 years ago, right before high school graduation.
Everyone looked happy, but she didn’t. She had a sense of despair in her eyes. A certain look that someone has when they’ve been pushed, shoved, and demeaned for way too long.
In high school, people would say stuff about her every day. Some would say, “Oh, she brags too much”, and others would simply laugh and tell me that she’s weird. But regardless of what I heard, I never found her to be that way.
I thought she was pretty cool. She would participate in math and science contests, constantly commuting to compete with other schools. And during lunch break, she would write short stories in her notebook. Many people said that she had no life outside of school, but I never saw it that way. Sometimes, she would walk around the school and take photographs. Or she would talk about the latest anime she watched. She even picked up sewing and made her own little dress.
But whenever she came to school, she would look sad. Sometimes, she would cry in the washroom. And other times, she would eat her lunch alone.
“No one likes your taste in shows and music,” people would tell her.
Though she felt torn by their comments, I don’t think she ever gave up on her own interests. Whenever people told her to stop sewing, she would continue to sew, probably even more. She made a T-shirt for herself and fixed the pockets of her pants. And whenever people told her to stop writing, she would continue to write. One day, she decided to make her own blog and publish her entries to the world.
After high school, she continued to pursue her passions, no matter what others said. She became a published photographer and continues to work as a photographer instructor at a local community centre. Her passion inspires thousands of kids, who may be going through the same experience as she did in high school.
Time flew by way too quickly, and before I got the chance to talk to her, I found myself in a different place than her. Not figuratively, but literally. She lives in an urban metropolitan city, 2 hours away from me. And I’m stuck in a small border town, wishing that she could somehow appear again.
As I remember her, I looked down at my phone again and searched for her Instagram handle.
She posted a story… and, betting the odds, I clicked on it. It was a picture of her photos in an art gallery in Fort Erie. After a quick location search, I found that the location was 10 minutes away from where I lived.
The next day, I got up, made myself breakfast, and grudgingly sat in my car. I typed the location of the art gallery in my GPS, hoping it’d show up. Then, I drove a few minutes and parked my car in front of the grey building.
I opened one door of my car, slammed it, and locked my car with the keys. I entered through the sliding doors and saw her talking to a guest, wondering if she’ll remember me. But even if she doesn’t, I hope she feels welcomed in the town because everybody I know is rooting for her.
Featured image via Casia Charlie on Pexels
This is a touching story about rediscovering a past connection and admiring someone’s resilience. It beautifully captures the feeling of regret for lost time and the hope of reconnecting with someone who truly inspired you, especially after witnessing their struggles and ultimate triumph. The narrative vividly portrays the protagonist’s admiration for the girl’s unwavering passion despite the negativity she faced, culminating in a hopeful reunion driven by serendipity.