Waves of Past (Fade)

“Come on! Why did you turn it off?” Anessa, my best friend, rolled her eyes as soon as I turned off the music in her phone that’s playing on the speaker.

Usually, I wouldn’t mind her and her choice of songs because there are moments that we both like the same music, but of course, there are also times when I hate her choice of music. And, this is probably the time of the month that I hate the song she was playing. Well, I used to love it, but a certain person made me hate it.

“I am listening to it!” She pursed her lips as she picked up her phone on the side shelves and started browsing it for a new song that would match my taste as of the moment.

“It’s because you put the songs on repeat mode and I know you did it on purpose.” I clicked my tongue. I am pretty sure that she is teasing me and probably reminding me of someone that I want to forget. Why is she my friend again? Sometimes, I like to question why.

“The song is so beautiful,” she said teasingly. “Are you missing someone?”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s an old song. I don’t know why you are only listening to that song now.”

I sighed and turned my back on her to pick up the magazines on the table. I put them back on the shelf then started wiping the lens of my camera. I had a full schedule a while ago that I only have time now to clean and fix my studio

Anessa was sitting on the couch, browsing her phone, instead of helping me. Oh! What a friend.

"You really have to move on, Asha," she sighed as she looked at me. Yes, I am aware of that but how could I move on when she kept on reminding me of the things that I am trying to forget.

If only she's not my best friend…tch! I have thrown her already at the bottom of the sea. Instead of comforting me, she's teasing me. Well I deserve it. She was right. It's been years…but I am still stuck.

"Just go away! Don't you have pictorials for your models?"

"Yes. Yes." She nodded as she checked her watch. "It'll be in an hour.

Anyway…" She stood up and pulled her bag on the rack. "I'll be back later."

"You're not welcome, so it's okay if you're not back." I joked while I continued wiping the lens of my camera.

She pursed her lips and showed me her middle finger. "I'll bring food. Wait for me!"

I ignored her. I heard the door open and shut after she left my studio. It was only when she was gone that I managed to sit on the couch and take a rest. I am so freaking tired, but I just don't want to show it to her. Well, even though I am tired…I enjoyed what I am doing so I don't have any regrets.

I spend another hour just lying on the couch and thinking of the next concept or theme for our photoshoot. I have collaborated with a fashion company and we are thinking of what kind of photographs we will be doing this time.

I went back to work after resting. It's already enough for me since I have a lot of things to do. I continued arranging my lenses, then I went back to developing the photos for my client. I had done some birthday photoshoots a while ago.

I edited some of the pictures. While waiting for the printed photos, I grabbed some snacks from my fridge. I only have cheese and some salad that I had left yesterday.

This two-storey building is my home and at the same time my gallery and studio. On the second floor is my unit and then on the ground floor…I have two rooms which are first for pictorials, my studio to be specific, then the other one is like my office. On the second floor, there's also two rooms...one for my gallery which includes all the photographs I had collected and some where those photographs of mine that won internationally and locally. It's a bit of a museum and I also put some photographs of my friends in there.

I bought this building years ago and had it made into my dream studio. Luckily, I succeeded. Aneesa, on the other hand, is one of my freelance photographers since she is really under a contract with a company. As for me, I decided to be independent as I don't like having someone to boss me around. I like my space and my time. With this, I am the one who fixes my schedule and I work when I want to.

Although, Anessa's contract will end next month and I think she will now join me in my studio.

Photography has always been my passion since I was a kid. But, I started with painting…drawing...then when I mastered those skills…I decided to go to photography…and now I have been doing it and will continue to do it. I just love capturing raw moments of people. It makes me happy, knowing that even though the world is cruel…people still know how to smile.

It's nice to see them happy. Photographs are memories, too. And, sometimes they are the only proof that we once had that someone in our life. When they're gone, it's their picture with us that would remind us how beautiful the memories we shared together.

I couldn't help but reminisce when my eyes suddenly fell on the picture frame on the side shelf. I was smiling in the picture with Anessa on my left and our friend who turned into a stranger now. She caused me so much pain that I wanted to throw this photograph, but I chose not to. She was my friend…and like to think that she's in heaven so that I would not hate her much.

After hours, I finished the deadlines I have to meet for tomorrow. I checked my schedules for tomorrow and until next week. It's fully-booked. Gosh! I will surely not work the week after next. I deserve a vacation!

But, who would have thought something will happen in this vacation?