Entangled Lives

Elana Monroe
Sunday Morning
New York, New York

"You ready to take pictures?" Kori asked and I looked at him with my eyes wide.

"What?! I don't even know how to work a camera." Kori licked his lips while chuckling.

"I got you." He gently placed the camera strap around my neck, his fingers grazing my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. His touch was firm yet tender, making me feel calm yet jittery at the same time. "Gotta make sure it's comfortable for you." He said as he adjusted the strap. "That feel good?" I nodded my head as I looked up at him and he smiled.

"So what's next?"

"Imma teach you the basics about my camera. So this right here is the shutter button. You press that to take a photo." He gently grabbed my hand and guided my finger to the shutter button. "This dial here controls how much light enters the lens." He guided my hand to the dial and I looked up to see his dark and intense eyes staring back at me. I tucked in my lips and looked back at the camera.

"What about this one?" I pointed to a button on the camera.

"This is for adjusting the focus. You can switch between automatic and manual focus. But we gon stick with the automatic for now." I nodded my head and looked around Central Park.

"What should I take a picture of first?" I asked. Kori looked around and smiled.

"Take a picture of those flowers right there." I put the camera to my face. "Frame them in the center, and don't forget to breathe and steady your hands before you press the shutter." I could feel his hands over mine to keep them steady before I pressed the shutter button.

"I wanna see it." Kori clicked a button on the camera and the photo popped up. "Is it good?" I asked as I looked up at him. He took the camera out my hands and looked at it closely.

"Not bad for your first time." He smiled as he looked down at me and I smiled back.

We spent the morning wandering through Central Park, finding different subjects to photograph. Kori was patient and encouraging, guiding me through each shot and sharing tips along the way.

At the end of our walk, we found a bench and sat down to review the photos I had taken.

"Yea nah this is might be my favorite." He said pointing at the picture of a father tossing his smiling son in the air.

"It is good, huh?" I asked with a confident smile and he laughed.

"You a natural behind the camera and in front of the camera." I playfully rolls my eyes again. "Why you always do that when I mention you being in front of the camera."

"I don't know...I'm just not used to it I guess."

"Well as long as I'm around, you gon hear it cause it's true." I looked down at the camera and flipped to the next photo. "You should come by the studio one day and do a photoshoot."

"What kind?"

"It could be just you coming and us working with the props I got or if you have a theme you want to do then I can make it happen." I put my lips to the side as I thought for a moment.

"Only if I get to take pictures of you too." He smiled and nodded his head slowly.

"Then I guess it's a deal." He put his hand out for me to shake it and I laughed while grabbing it. He shook it rapidly, causing me to laugh louder and playfully bump his shoulder.

"Wassup playa playa!" Paris yelled into the phone and I rolled my eyes. "How was your date?"

"It wasn't a date." I shrugged as I pulled eggs and bacon out of the fridge.