Amulet

You can travel the same tracks every time you get on a train, going from one point to another on a route with a beginning and an end, but the truth is that what really changes is the space between one seat and another.

You knew how to be yourself, and believed that was the only one thing you truly knew, where everything around you seemed like a world full on uncertainty, a map to a land you had to learn to walk by yourself.

And to be you, in that circumstance, essencially meant repelling yourself from what presented danger, and what invaded you, what messed you up fromt he inside in.

Wich was a lot of things

It was like living with training wheels, never truly at the mercy of the chaos that the world seemed outside your mind, always relying on your self preservation. As if always getting on the same wagon of the same train would keep you safe and sound. At least thats what you used to believe.

You were nothing like Alex

Moving himself in between the seats as if they belonged to him, as if the world were nothing but a blank page for him to write whatever he wanted to and whenever he wanted to.

Him and his two friends walked around like a group of dogs

From that first time you saw him, you never felt like your eyes could stare that much.

He was looking around, one of his friends grabbing something from his pockets, and the other also seemed like searching for something, or just watching.

You watched, head low.

Not being perceived by others made you forget that you actually had a body and that you were not that invisible.

So when those green eyes found you, you felt a chill on your spine, your head turn in a snap to look the window, pretending not to care.

After a short moment, you hear shouts

You look towards that direction, to the doors of the wagon, and he was there, with his head and half of his body sticking out, yelling excitedly.

The wind cut in between his strands of hair, throwing him back as he fight against velocity, holding that iron handle bar tight, dodging every pole.

Each one causing you affliction, waiting for the next pole to decapitate the young man.

But he seemed smarted than that, and now you are glad he never lost his head.

That day was'nt the only one. Thankfully it was'nt the only one.

From bumping each other so often, and share glances sp frequently, maybe Alex had become more used with your face. Or maybe he just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be a pair of eyes against him if you ever found out where he went to school.

One way or another, he pulled you into his world.

He is the type of person that makes you wonder if he ever used training wheels, or if he knew they even existed. Maybe he learned everything by himself, his knees were far more scrapped than yours.

You carried more band-aids than you could ever use

With this training wheel that kept you from falling to the ground

And he knew that

For him it was one of the few thing that tasted sweet on his tongue

Little by little he learned to hold his hands on your seat, the whole way around.

He would carry band-aids on him too, but never really say.

And little by little, you would build courage to pedal a little faster.

You grew found of the way he acted, loving everything he did

You were great friends, and thing were simple. Simple like feeling the wind on your skin, simple like getting up after tripping over a stone, simple as couting clouds while talking on the passager seat.

You let yourself go

In that wagon where landscapes come as fast as it goes, the sound of your chatting would be part of a short symphony.

You would tell him about things he already knew

Or explode, asking him where he wanted you two to go

Sometime you would be self aware of your four wheeled scheme, but he made it look so simple to let go, it was natural for him. He has been riding in two-wheelers all his life.

You would catch yourself glazing the idea to take it off, let yourself oscilate out of balance for once.

Alex could drive you crazy, and bring you back to reason with words only. Sharp as a knife or smooth as silk.

You would call him a idiot for the stupid shit he did

He yelled to the winds, playing with the idea of losing his head. You froze and shouted for him to come back inside, covering your eyes with your hands.

''Stop it! This is'nt funny, its stupid''

He did'nt care as much, so he shouted back to the wind.

His body sticking out of the wagon swung back inside, his breathing uneven. He looks at you and a flash of idea crosses his green eyes.

In one quick move, he grabbed your arm and pulled you toward the open doorway.

You screamed the moment your body tipped forward. You screamed even louder when the cold night wind crashed against your face, your hair tousled, the velocity throwing it back.

You could feel Alex right behind you, his fist gripping the back of your jacket, holding you steady.

Instinctively, you clutched the iron handle as though your life depended on it (cause it actually did). Your fingers burned from the friction. Your other hand stayed inside the wagon.

''Pull me back! NOW!'' You shouted

'' Wooo hooo'' Alex yells beside you, his cheeks pressing against your ''Feel it!''

Your legs were firmly planted on the ground, your body as rigid as a stone as the wind cut across your face. Your eyes then open and you spot the stone post coming at full speed, or rather, you going at full speed towards that object.

"ALEX!"

You squeezed your eyes shut

And then you felt yourself being pulled back inside for a fraction of a second.

Things were silent for that brief heartbeat

Until you hear the wind cutting past your ears and your hair flying up again.

Alex was laughing. You dared to open your eyes, only to find the dark tracks beneath you again. This time you breathed, somewhat relieved.

"I'm holding you." Few words, but it was enough.

Your knees trembled like wheat in a field; you couldn't even feel your fist against the metal anymore.

For a second it was just you, Alex, and the wind.

He was having the time of his life, laughing and looking at you. You were being washed over by relief. Of course he was there, holding you.

And it was over; he pulls you back to the safety of the wagon. Your body almost collapses, your hand slips, and your knees give way. You stumbled forward almost falling.

Alex catches you by the arms. " feel that? Its adrenaline crash'' he grinned

You were still catching your breath, you held his arms back, your fingers digging on his warm skin before you could notice.

You looked up and met his green eyes staring into yours.

You smiled, it was ridiculous, but you smiled.

"Fuck you."

"Thought I would smash you against the pole?" He scoff

"You almost did"

"I was teaching you"

"Not taking notes"

"You should'' he shrugged ''because I won't be holding you next time" He was lying

"...I hate you" You were lying

I really...like you

His way of being everything you weren't, made you want to ride without training wheels beside him.

As long as he held you, and promised not to push you to the ground

The part that protected itself so much wanted to scream to make him yours, but it was hard to say

So maybe this time you would let yourself oscilate fully