Tourist Trap: Framed by a Photographer

It was Valentine's Day. My girlfriend, Christy Lawrence, and I walked hand-in-hand as we visited a popular tourist destination in Sarlington. The place was crawling with photographers for hire. They were handing out their flyers to everyone who walked by while asking, "Hey there! Would you like to take a photo?"

As we walked through one of the archways, one of the photographers stuffed his flyer into my hand before noticing my face. Flashing me a grin, he said, "Want a photo? Oh, wait a minute. This isn't the one you brought with you the last time!"

I didn't think much of it, assuming that the photographer—whose name was Derek Norris, according to his flyer—was just kidding. However, Christy stopped in her tracks and scrutinized Derek.

"He told me I'm his first girlfriend. How can you make things up like that?"

Unexpectedly, Derek took off his sunglasses and studied me carefully before letting out a cold snort. "This hunk here comes by every six months. He brings a different young lady with him and takes photos with her each time. I still have the photos to prove it!"

I was dumbfounded. This was my first time even coming to this place, and Christy was the first girlfriend I'd ever had. How could I possibly have been bringing different women here to take photos every six months?

I stepped in front of Christy, shielding her, and said, "What's wrong with you? It's my first time here! How can you spout lies like that?"

Derek scoffed. "I'm not trying to be a part of your messy love life, but it's a fact that you come here often for photos, man! Not many people come here to hire my photography services that often. Are you too chicken to admit to what you've been doing?"

Since we were in a busy part of the tourist spot, a crowd quickly began gathering around us. Derek clearly didn't mind blowing things up even more, for he called out loudly, "Look, everyone! This young man here brings a different young lady with him every six months and hires me to take a photo of them together.

"All I did was expose him for that, and he's throwing a fit! If you've got the nerve to do it, why not admit it? How embarrassing, really!"

The other tourists quickly crowded around us.

By now, Christy's face had turned red from the anger and the mortification. She glared at me, demanding an explanation.

The crowd was also muttering among themselves.

"Has he been lying to this young woman the whole time? Did he seriously tell her she was his first girlfriend? How naive of her to believe him."

"So what if he has dated other women before? What's the big deal? If he got found out, he should've just admitted to it. What's there to be embarrassed about?"

"I know, right? It's not like the photographer is acquainted with him or anything. There's no reason for the photographer to slander him."

"Hey, man, just own up to it! Don't be so pathetic that you dare not even admit to how many women you've dated before!"

Never had I felt more wronged and helpless.

I grabbed Christy's hand and anxiously clarified things with her. "I'm only 20 years old, Christy! I never even left Lakeworth before turning 20. This is my first time in Sarlington, and you're the first woman I've ever dated! You have to believe me."

As she was the one who stayed with me through the darkest period of my life, she meant the world to me.

Christy's expression improved considerably.

I steadied myself and confronted Derek, "You said I come here every six months for a photo. Do you have any proof to back that up? Tons of tourists come by here every day. It's quite likely that you mistook someone else for me. You're accusing me of something I didn't do."

Derek rolled his eyes, as if he'd known I would say that. Looking completely unruffled, he pulled out his phone and searched for a moment before raising his arm high. He showed the photos to the surrounding tourists.

The crowd immediately let out a collective gasp.