Out of the Picture

When my coworkers found out my girlfriend, Nina Jensen, was a photographer, they were insanely jealous.

One asked, "It must be easy getting great photos of yourself, right?"

Another chimed in, "Damn it. Mine still can't even focus a camera!"

I smiled and shook my head. "She only shoots landscapes, never people."

That was Nina's rule.

Even on our first anniversary.

Even after I explained over and over that I only wanted one simple tourist photo.

She still got angry and snapped at me, "My last boyfriend dumped me because I wouldn't take pictures of him."

To keep us from breaking up, I spent the next seven years walking on eggshells. I was always careful not to cross that line.

But that was until today, when I came across the latest post from my influencer friend, Julian Locke.

[Let me show off my photographer. She's been taking amazing photos of me for seven years for free!]

One of the top comments said: [It's an honor to photograph my muse.]

The profile picture was completely white, just like the one Nina used for her account.

As soon as that comment appeared, the comment section exploded with people rooting for them as a couple.

One person wrote, [Everyone in the industry knows Nina only shoots landscapes. Julian's the only person she's ever made an exception for.]

[Have you seen Nina's older work? It all feels vast and cold. But when she photographs Julian? The lighting and the way she captures his eyes… It's unbelievably tender.]

[I said seven years ago that the photographer behind Julian had to be in love with him. Yet all of you called me delusional.]

The comments were buzzing with excitement.

Meanwhile, my heart sank a little more with every one I read.

I never would have imagined it.

The photographer, who had spent seven years taking countless beautiful photos of Julian with patience and care.

And Nina, who had dated me for seven years and still refused to even take a single picture of me.

They were the same person.

-

In her sleep, Nina murmured my name.

But all I felt was an icy emptiness inside.

Then, people in the comments started posting screenshots from Julian's private account.

That was when I realized Nina and Julian had been much closer than I had ever known.

He always called her his guardian angel.

"I'm hungry, and my guardian angel made me bolognese pasta."

The dish looked delicious.

But I remembered the first time she cooked and charred the food.

Back then, Nina looked embarrassed.

"Just wait! I'll learn how to cook," she said.

Later, she did learn.

But she only ever cooked for Julian.

[I wasn't at my best during today's shoot, but she waited for me in a blizzard for five hours. And she never blamed me once.] Julian wrote under one photo.

I remembered clearly that Nina hated snowy days.

No matter how many years I begged, she never agreed to go to Northram with me to see the snow.

But now, they were telling me that the one smiling after being buried under a pile of snow was Nina.

A dull ache spread through my chest.

The photos she wouldn't take for me, she took for Julian. And she stood out in the snow she hated, all for him.

Even at this point, I was still clinging to a little hope.

But I had no choice but to face the truth.

To Nina, Julian was special.

The only person she refused to compromise for was me.