Reaching into her nightstand, Maddie pulled out a worn photo album. She flipped through the pages, her fingers brushing over the glossy images.
She had always loved photography. As a child, she didn’t have the means to capture moments, but in college, she’d saved up from her writing income to buy a camera. Most of her photos were of Rico, frozen in candid moments like sitting by the dining room window, sunlight highlighting his features as he ate breakfast. Not only that, he was also lying on the balcony, a cigarette dangling lazily from his fingers, curling up on the sofa after a night of drinking, his expression soft in sleep, wearing an apron in the kitchen, brushing soap suds off a plate, and smiling reluctantly in a goofy birthday hat, his eyes shut tight as he made a wish.
Each photo had once made Maddie’s heart flutter. Now, they only deepened her ache.
Gripping a pair of scissors, Maddie prepared to cut the photos into pieces, but her phone buzzed, interrupting her.
***
Her best friend’s voice came through the line, frantic. “Maddie, have you seen your phone? You’re trending.”
“Trending?” Maddie asked, her brows knitting in confusion.