The Kings Amulets

ii

"Ahh-choo!"

"Jesus, Jules." Claire shook her head and reached in her pocket to hand me a tissue. I took the tissue, I don't know why but the cold air seemed to be really bothering me this year. "You can't be getting sick, we have plans tomorrow!"

"Sorry," I smiled after finishing blowing my nose. I dropped the tissue into the public trash can. "I think I'm just getting a cold."

"Great." Claire groaned, her blonde hair was starting to come out from under her cap. She reached forward gripping my arm in hers. "You can't leave me alone with Emma. You know how I feel about her."

"Don't be dramatic." I rolled my eyes as I shook her off me. "Besides, you won't be alone with Emma, Monique will be there too." Claire playfully punched my arm before stopping to look at a window display. I, on the other hand kept walking. I wanted to get out of the cold air before it started to snow. But by the time I walked to the crosswalk, tiny snowflakes began to fall. I held a gloved hand out, watching as it fell on my finger tips.

The first snow of the season. I smiled, I wasn't a fan of the cold. After-all my mother died during winter, but snow, I really liked the snow. I looked out to the street, Champs-Elysees was busy as per usual. And for the most part my purple ear muffs muffled the sound of the cars passing by. I scratched my neck as I waited for the cars to come yo a stop for me to cross, my skin was itchy still from my hair cut yesterday.

"Juliet, you jerk!" I turned, Claire was rushing towards me her hands balled in fist. "How could you leave me behind?"

"Sorry, Claire." I smiled, pushing back my hair from my face. "You should have hurried." I said softly to my friend. I was more then ready to get out of the cold, and for someone who complained for the last two hours of school about the cold and possible chance of snow, she sure liked taking her time. Claire huffed as her jogged slowed to a walk, her hands moved to clenched the straps of her tote bag.

"Do you have plans for Christmas?" Claire asked her as we finally made our way through the crosswalk. A guy on a bike nearly running us down as we crossed. Claire made sure to flip him the bird, although I don't think he saw. Unless he had eyes on the back of his head.

"No." I sighed, every year for the past six years has been the same thing. Since mom died, dad had no desire yo return home especially during the holidays. And since I have no living family, I spend them alone.

"Your father still away?" I only nodded bitting my bottom lip. My dad was a scientist, a brilliant one from what I understand. He works at some cosmetic company across seas. At least that was what it sounded like over scarce phone calls and his short appearance every other month, I barely know anything about him. I used to have a live in nanny, Miss Louise was her name, dad hired her not long after mom passed. She was quiet and spent most her time sitting in front of the tv. But two years ago, on a rare occasion that he came home, I convinced him to let me be home alone.

"Yeah." I sighed and looked up at the sky again, watching as a single snow flake landed on my eyelashes. "I don't want to talk about that right now." The holidays have always been a sore spot, mainly because you see family's spending time together. And I'm always alone. We stopped at another streetlights. This is where we will split paths, Claire will keep going straight further down the road and I will turn down the less busy street. "Don't forget about tomorrow, and swear to god if you cancel I will drag you out of your house." Claire squinted her blue eyes. "I mean it, I don't want to have to be alone with Emma. She annoys me. So you better not be sick!"

"I won't cancel." I smiled and rolled my eyes, tomorrow was the first day of our winter break. Me and my friends planned to spend the entire day together, I had been looking forward to this all semester. Since Monique came up with the idea. Although I wasn't sure how Emma was dragged into our planning, she usually doesn't hang out with us.

"I'll meet up at your house-"

"So we can walked together." I finished, before giving Claire a tight hug. I waved to my friend before walking down the street alone. When I got to my apartment building I punched in the code before walking up the flight of stairs the smelt like pee only stopping at the fifth floor. I unlocked my front door, flipping the light on as I walked into the living room. I kicked my shoes off by the door before locking it behind me. I didn't say anything as I made my way to the couch, there was no one to speak to. I was accustomed to that.I grabbed the blanket that i kept on the back of the couch, it was a dark green plaid fleece that my  dad brought back from his trip to America a few years ago. His apology for missing my 13th birthday. I laid down on the couch, barely focusing on the tv where eventually I began to drift off to sleep.

It was midnight when I woke up, I head the ticking of the clock. The living room light was still on, but the tv had long gone off.  I sat up, looking around the room yawning when I heard something coming from the balcony. Startled, I stood up to investigate.

There on the top of the balcony railing was a young beautiful boy, he wore a heavy black cloak and even had one long earring. He was so beautiful, like an angel or a doll. I paused at the door as our eyes met, like his strange appearance on my balcony I noted his eyes were crimson. Like rubies.

He nodded towards me as if he was acknowledging my presence, and with that he took one step back and vanished. I threw the door open, my heart slamming in my chest as I gripped the freezing railing. Below the balcony was nothing but an empty street. The boy had completely disappeared, as if he was never there.