The ponies and him

I woke up a slightly tired, my eyelids felt heavy. I didn’t mind as I had already gotten up without thinking twice. I checked my bedroom to see where my clothes were. I threw them everywhere before getting into the bed. I'm not someone who you can call neat, even within my own standards of what it's neat. But since there is no one else but me living in this apartment, I don't disturb anyone with that.

I went to the kitchen to see if there was food. I checked the fridge and the cooler, they were both empty. There was absolutely nothing, not even ice.

I stared at the fridge. What can I do…?

An idea crossed my mind. I closed the fridge and started to count ten seconds. I don’t remember where, or how, or who, but I recalled that someone did this and it appeared food. I’m not a genius, that’s for sure. I opened the fridge again, expecting food!

But I stared blankly at the fridge. To my misfortune, it was the same picture as before: emptiness. Yesterday, by having a busy day and encountering that rainbow girl, I forgot to buy food.

I sighed, closed the fridge and moved to the living room. From a clock hanging on a wall, I saw the hour: it was seven past half. I figured out it should be, at least, one place open at this time to eat. I hope.

I headed to my bedroom, grabbed my wallet and got dressed, but I felt a little dirty from yesterday’s jog. Not wanting to spread my… great scented body through someone’s nostrils, I went to my bedroom, wore off my clothes and threw them to the floor, grabbed a pair of towels and headed to the shower.

I turned the shower on, and—by the holy strength of everything, it’s hot!—turned it off. "Ah!" I escaped from the shower and tested the water until it was tolerable to my body. I got in again, and, safely, put under the soft, relaxing and hot water.

I stood there for, I don’t know, several minutes, just feeling and tracking how every part of my skin felt younger, inhaling and exhaling air in a lower and lower pace. I closed my eyes and hanged my head, liberating me from the stress of yesterday, from that girl I almost crashed with…

That was a stressful event.

…

After I got out of the shower, I dried myself and put on my clothes: my snickers, jeans, blue t-shirt, dark hoodie and a Columbian blue cap. I generally wear that and sometimes people get scared when I walk through the city.

Am I scary? Do I look I’m going to rob someone? Is it because my cap is from Colombia? That’s what the salesman said…

I moved to the living room, opened the door of my department and went outside the building. I led my gaze up, noting the blue sky. Birds soared the cloudless sky. It was tinted bright blue with trails of orange coming from the rising sun. I checked my watch I always wear, even when I sleep, and it showed eight o’clock. The sky asked for its appreciation, and I answered seeing it just for a little more. I believe my body can resist half an hour without food, right? Even with this cold that observes the dawn with me?

Right?

…

I reached the downtown in no time. I ran from my apartment by a third of the time I usually take to reach downtown. I was so hypnotized by those trails of orange I forgot about the existence of time, and it was already quarter past eight when I saw my watch.

Why did I stop to see something so common...?

I went in to the first open restaurant I saw and sit on the nearest chair I found. All in all, hunger exceed my endurance, so I didn’t care which place was open to have a quick breakfast. At least I made sure it was a place to eat. I looked around and noticed that the room had fancy furniture and expensive decoration, with paintings of food hanging on the walls.

I sighed. I felt my body defeat to the weariness of my frantic run. My legs hurt, my lungs burned and my hands were tired. I heard two steps by my side and I reacted moving my head to a side. I saw a waiter tapping his foot and his arms crossed. "What would you like to eat, sir?" He brought from his back a notepad and a pen.

"Can you… bring me a sandwich? Any kind, I just want it… fast, please." He put back the items he brought up and nodded, leaving me alone in the restaurant.

I guessed he’s going to be fast with my food, but not enough to distract my hunger. I saw the place and fixed my vision to the furniture: it was all made of a brown wood, carved with figures of food and drinks. The chairs had the same design and they both, chairs and tables ,complemented.

I didn’t notice, but I closed my eyes because of a light coming from my left. I searched for its origin and found it: it came from a window. It directed to the sidewalk, giving me a clean picture of the street. I wanted to distract from the hunger, so, the best option was to see the street. I had to cover the light with my hand to see the scenery.

My view was invaded by the grey colors of the urban and by the cold scenery from the naked branches of the trees. How many times I passed by this local, seeing the trees caressing from winter’s detached cold? As the winter reached to its end, I looked traces of new-born flowers go besides the pavement, adorning the freezing morning. Blue, yellow, gray, and even purple, were the colors I noticed from the flowers. I could look and analyze trees and the flowers harmonized with each other. It is as if nature was alive, once again, returning from his hibernation. The rainy, snowy days that slowed the coming of summer were dying, and it showed. I don’t call myself someone appreciative of details, but… with this picture, I could appreciate the beauty of scene.

But someone interrupted my tranquility. I heard a grunt beside me, a small growl. The waiter waiting with my food on hand. "Sir, here it is,” he said and left the dish on my table accompanied with a soda by the side of it. I didn’t ask for it, but I didn’t care. It was nothing that my wallet couldn’t stand.

…

I finished my sandwich in no time, and my soda too. I turned around and raised my arm. “Waiter, can you bring me the check?

"I'll bring it now."

"Thanks," I said, turning around and seeing the window again. The image was almost the same, the only difference was that a skinny guy was running on the sidewalk. I think it’s one of the guys I saw running yesterday…

I recalled the events of yesterday. The chat I had with that athletic girl and the promise I made with her. Maybe I can go to the stadium and ask her why she wants me go to, but I don’t want to go there, to the stadium for that solely reason…

I paid the bill and went out the place. I could smell the fragrance of the flowers from where I stood. I looked at the end of the road to see where the guy led. I noted, to the distance, at the end of the city and further, a forest. "Maybe I can go... there," I said, seeing the forest that was a little far from my sight. Maybe going there would be peaceful, so I moved to that direction.

I live in a town, surrounded by a forest. Well, a town that is going to be a great city, so, probably, the forest will be cut down. But for now, it still has a forest, which is pleasant for me.

...

I really underestimated the distance from where I was.

I sit on the soft grass in front of the forest's entrance and let myself rest from the walk. I almost walked thirty minutes from the restaurant. I looked upside. The tops of the trees moved in an unhurried manner.

Something I forgot in these days of stress is this forest. With the recent week full of exams, and the next one waiting me and calling me, I... have to relax, take a break, even if I have to study. That's what I did yesterday, and what I plan to do today.

I sighed.

This forest, makes me feel… in peace, in ease with myself.

There’s a habit I do. It consists of going to the woods every weekend and relax myself in there, seeing the wonders of nature. And, inside of it, I do breathing exercises to calm myself. It is something I always do before going inside this forest. It is a way to control my behavior from everything and everyone; a method to ease myself. I'm someone who is stressed, not physically, but mentally. I always have to be thinking about something or someone, even if I don't want to. It's a trait of my personality I don't like. I always try to soften it, since it has already brought me many problems...

I entered to the woods, watching where I stepped. I have a passage between the woods, a fictional route that leads me to a turquoise river, with animals drinking from the water, from squirrels to cats , to foxes and bugs. I even watched a bear once! Damn, I almost got a limb out that time. But I decided it was better to go through another road this time, leaving my route for a next occasion.

I went between bushes and trees, hearing the birds sing, with no direction to follow. The place felt eerie. I saw dots swiftly fall through the trails of lights, between the branches. I traveled between the green, brown and red flourished forest as I whistled the bird’s croon. I saw birds leaning on the trees' branches, bugs of every color flying and crawling their way to the outside. Forest’s life never dies in any season

As I saw and felt the wonders of the wood, like the animals it had, or the sweet and woody scent, I saw a clearing. The grass was whiter than the forest’s. I went in, stopped in the middle of it, felt how calm it was, and touching the ground, noticed how soft it was. There was no sound except the song singed by the birds. I could sense this was the place the forest had for itself, for contemplation. It was... peacefulness naturalized.  It sounds strange, or silly, but I believe the forest has a life, and lives.

I sit down and let my muscles loosen, all while I heard the birds singing a different melody. It was, somehow, a rhythmic song. My musical sense got inspired and I tapped to the rhythm of the song.

As the song advanced, I started to relax more, letting my mind go blank. I remembered a method from a psychology book. It taught a breathing method to let out the stress from your body. In this situation, it was perfect to do it.

I went to check every one of my senses: the smell of the soaked grass was nostalgic. My hand were trying to find a dried spot to rest on. The taste of the sandwich was still swirling in my mouth, and my vision was up to the great trees, with its foliage starting to grow again. I inhaled four seconds, keep my breath eight seconds and exhaled eight seconds, doing it several times, all while I was closing my eyes to the song of the birds.

I was starting to fell asleep. I put on my cap on my face, went to my back, and closed my eyes. Time passed and I relaxed more and more, more and more…

I saw a blurry image with my eyes closed, my imagination speaking through one of my senses. I saw a dark blue lake lost between mountains and snow, all lighted by a whitened blue light. The lake reflected the snowed mountains perfectly, appearing as if there was a second world inside of it.

I closed my distance to that lake. In the coast there was a rock with a gritty texture, standing alone. I took it on my hand, and threw it high to the lake. As it fell, I heard someone behind me. It was a femme voice, whispering to me. "Finally."

I tried to see who was, but blackness surrounded me before. I heard a little voice. Somehow,  I knew it was outside my dream. "Mm... he-hello?" I opened my eyes, but they were covered with the cap.

I answered, "Hello?" I removed my cap and put it on my head, while I slowly straightened from the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry I interrupted your sleeping, sorry..." she whispered

"I don't think that matters now. I shouldn't have slept here, anyway.” I rubbed my eyes, trying to brush off the drowsiness. I turned my head and saw her. She was a girl with a slender body. She was wearing a yellow sweater with a pair of blue jeans with white shoes. What most attracted of her was her face and her hair. Her face was something... angelical, clean, like nothing has hurt her. With great blue eyes, white skin, great eyelids, and her long, straight… pink hair, she had her hands closed together, as if she was praying. She seemed to be familiar, at least for the look she gave me at that moment.

I wanted to answer my doubts, from where it came that familiarity, until I noticed she was blushing. Blushing is a soft word; she was burning. I was staring her intently. “Oh, I’m sorry, I… just-was thinking,” I said and stood up, a little soaked.

"I-I..." She tried to speak, but I saw her struggle. Something made her hold herself.

"Do you want to talk?" I asked.

"I-I..." She turned around and went away.

What?

I sighed and stood up, seeing her leave the clearing. I didn’t mind she left, but something drop from the grip of her hand. Before I said something, she was already gone. I grabbed the thing and noticed it was a pink cell phone.

"Hey, your cell phone, you forgot your cell phone!" I screamed to the way she led, but I didn’t receive an answer. But I saw, between the trunks of the wood, a glimpse of pink. I followed her, taking care of where I stepped. In a moment I could see her completely. “Hey!”

She turned and stopped to see me. But she started to run. With that reaction, I quickened my pace. “Stop! Your cell phone!”

I ran, trying to catch her as escaped from me, taking random passages through the woods. We were going nowhere, running erratically. But I heard a crack and she fell.

I sprinted to reach her. She was on the ground, dusted, and with a part of her jeans ripped with a tiny trail of blood coming of it. “Are you alright? Does it hurt?” I asked her.

She shivered. "I... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault. Here, let me get you up." I showed my hand.

She lowered her head and whispered, “My knees hurt…”

"Well... are you sure you can stand up?" I said, still showing my hand. She grabbed my hand.

When she stood with her legs stretched, she yelped. I said, “Do you need help?”

She, ignoring what she heard, looked me with teary eyes. "Why... did you follow me?"

Not knowing how to answer with her mood, I just brought up her cell phone. "I just wanted to bring you this."

"Oh." She blushed. "I'm sorry for... what I did.” She hid her face under her long hair, seeing me between glances.

"It doesn't matter know, what does matter is you," I said. She locked eyes with me and quickly looked away, blushing, again I realized she interpreted in a wrong way. "Oh-no, I meant that what it's important now is that you're hurt, your knees are wounded,” I said with a rushed voice, wanting this to get over. She finished blushing, something that made me a bit at ease, and asked me something.

"Why... are you here?"

I frowned with said question. "Why am I here?"

"Yes, why?" she whispered once again.

"Why am I here at the forest?" I answered with an alike question.

"Yes..." she said, enduring my repeating questions.

"I wanted to feel relaxed," I said, waiting for her response. But there was none.

I inclined to see better her wound. “Do you feel… pain?” She didn’t answer.

We just stood there, in an awkward silence accompanied by the chirps of some animals. Seconds passed and I couldn't stand it anymore. "Do you... want to do something?" I tried to see her knees, but she just stood there, escaping from my gaze and observing the scenery, like she didn't know what to do.

She moved her left hand and touched her elbow. By my surprise, she asked me with the same question, "Do you want to do something?"

"Well... I want to leave this place. I'm not feeling very... secure," I said, recalling the event with the bear. She nodded and we started to go back to the forest’s entrance, searching for our way back.

Minutes passed in silence. Hearing nothing but the chirps and the breaking branches from our steps. Restlesness flirted with me, and I didn't like it.

I wanted to start a conversation “So… what’s your name?” I wasn’t feeling very comfortable with a silence that felt… —loud can be a way to say it.

"It's... Mary."

"That's a cute name." I told her, trying to move the conversation. “Do you… like the weather?”

“Yes.”

“So… what do you do in your free time?” She hasn’t looked at me since we started our walk. I don’t know how to break the ice with her.

“I like animals…”

“What do you do with them?”  Her face livened up when I asked her that.

“I take care of them, help them from their health problems.” I noticed she smiled. A progress.

“And you’re studying to be a veterinary, right?”

“Yes... What do you want to be?” She looked at me, waiting to answer.

“Psychology.” When I answered, I didn't notice a rock in our path. I almost tripped over.

After I accommodated myself, I looked her and she went back to her submissive self, trying to hide behind her hair.

I sighed. She isn't a talkative person.

…

We reached the entrance. We didn't after I almost tripped over.

"Well... I think it's time to go," I said to her, trying to get her attention. "So... goodbye, I guess?" I asked her, successfully getting her attention again.

"Yeah..." she said, looking to the ground. I don’t know how she can be so shy.

"Do you want me to call a taxi to take you to the hospital?” Her silence was the answer.  “Well… goodbye, take care of yourself,” I said and walked away, leading to the downtown.

But, in the midway to it, I felt something strange in one of my pockets. I searched it and felt an object.  I brought it up and it was her cell phone. I forgot to give her.

I came back to the entrance jogging, but I didn’t see her wherever I seek her within my sight.

It seems I have a new cell phone by accident... I have to see her again.