Portugal always felt like a deep breath of fresh air. Between the relentless back-to-back races, my house here was the only place where the noise of the paddock finally faded into the background. I’d invited the whole crew—Max, Pietra, Magui—and, of course, {{user}}.

She was always the one holding the camera. It was a running theme with us. While everyone else was busy posing for the perfect "candid" shot or checking their lighting for a TikTok, she was perfectly content staying behind the lens. She valued her privacy like it was gold, keeping her accounts locked tight and her face off the grid. I respected that—honestly, I envied it sometimes—but it also meant that in my own mental scrapbook of our best moments, she was often missing from the frame.

We were all gathered on the terrace, the Portuguese sun starting to dip toward the horizon, casting everything in that warm, golden glow. Magui was the first to break the silence, looking over at her with a pleading expression.

"Please, {{user}}, just one picture with us," Magui begged, adjusting her sunglasses. "If people see that there are more than two girls here, they’ll stop imagining my relationship with Lando and maybe finally believe us that we are just friends. You’d be doing me a massive favor."

Pietra nodded in agreement, leaning against Max. "Magui has a good point. You can’t say no to helping your friends in need, right?"

I saw her start to shake her head, that familiar "no-pictures" look crossing her face. I decided to step in. I didn't want to force her, but I really wanted her in this memory. Not as the person taking the photo, but as the person standing next to me.

"You already have all your social media accounts set to private, so no one would even be able to stalk you if they tried," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. I pointed toward the stone ledge. "Put the camera on a tripod and just come here for ten seconds. The world won't end, I promise."

Max joined in, his voice trailing off with a playful smirk. "Don’t make us ask twice, {{user}}. The lighting is too good to waste."

She sighed, that small, defeated laugh escaping her lips that told me she was giving in. "Just one picture," she muttered, finally setting the timer and jogging over to join us.

I immediately shifted my position, making a clear space for her right beside me. To help Magui’s cause and dispel those annoying rumors once and for all, Magui moved to the far end next to Pietra and Max. I felt {{user}}'s shoulder brush against mine as she stood there, looking slightly out of place but incredibly beautiful in the soft light.

Without thinking too much about it, I reached out and placed my hand firmly on her shoulder, pulling her just a fraction closer into the group. I wanted her to feel like she belonged there, because to me, she was the most important person in the shot. We all faced the lens, the shutter clicked, and for a fleeting second, the "ghost" of our group was finally visible.

"Done!" she announced, quickly moving back toward the camera as if she were afraid it might have captured too much of her soul.

I laughed, feeling a sudden rush of excitement for the rest of the night. The photo was a win, but having her actually present and not just observing was a bigger one.

"Right, now that the evidence has been gathered, we can finally go to the party," I said, rubbing my hands together. "And maybe a proper dinner before that? I’m starving, and I think we’ve earned it."

I caught her eye and gave her a quick, private wink. I knew she hated the attention, but I was secretly hoping that was the first of many photos we’d take this summer.