“It’s going to snow.” Alex said as he loaded the merchandise into the truck.

“In July?” Cody scoffed.

“Can’t you smell it,” Alex smiled breathing in the air. “It in the air.”

“It’s summer!” Cody pouted.

“Snow in July is lucky.”

“How? It’s cold and look at the atmosphere; it’s so gloomy.”

“But how many times does it snow in July. Never right?”

“Just because something never happens doesn’t mean it’s lucky.” Cody whined.

“I hope it snows,” Alex grinned.

The wind blew hard, cold and uninvited. Alex quickly drew Cody’s body in to shield him as he opened and helped into the truck. Those few seconds in Alex’s arms made him feel something. It was the first time, all day where Dongwoon wasn’t the first thought. As he buckled up and watched Alex drive, he saw an opportunity to keep Dongwoon at bay for a while, mentally that is. This was his birthday after all, why shouldn’t he have fun. Alex was doing something that Dongwoon wasn’t…trying. It wasn’t enough to mend his heart but it kept it loosely pieced together.

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Dongwoon called out to Cody as he entered his home. He ran through the entire place before he saw the spare key hanging neatly by the door. Dongwoon flew into a panic. He didn’t spend the night at home. He dialed his cell to no answer than his parents.

“I thought he was with you Dongwoon,” was his mother’s response.

“!” He said out loud. He had messed up big time. Dumping him, leaving him out in the cold, Cody was never going to forgive him. He slumped in the chair thinking of where he could have gone. He wouldn’t have spent the night out, it was too cold. The guys hadn’t seen him. Did he go home with someone? No, that wasn’t Cody’s style. Dongwoon hoped.

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Alex held Cody’s waist positioning him while Cody concentrated on getting the ball into hole instead of on the handsome guy’s hand around his waist.

“Nice shot!” Alex cheered as the pool ball went in. It was the second round and Alex seemed to be playing to lose, not that it was working. The only thing Cody had genuinely beat Alex at was a pinball ball game at the arcade. It was getting late and Cody was finally starting to enjoy his birthday.  Alex seemed to blow in out of nowhere simply to comfort him on this cold day. They shared a basket of fries at the table and Cody wished the night wouldn’t end because that meant going back to reality, to a home without Dongwoon.

“When’s your birthday?” Cody asked.

“September.”

“You’ll be long gone then huh?”

Alex nodded silently.

“You’ll be back in spring though.”

Alex smiled, knowing he wouldn’t. Telling Cody was pointless he figured. He probably wouldn’t even notice that he was gone, he thought. He simply wanted one day to make some memories. His eyes watched Cody munch on the fries, savoring the moment. He had a million questions but he couldn’t ask. He couldn’t let himself wish for anything more than this day, this moment.

Alex wanted to be there when Cody read the card but he knew he’d never have the nerve to stay in the room. It’d be better for him to just give him the gift and give him back to Dongwoon, assuming Dongwoon would come back.

“Where will you travel to next?” Cody asked.

“Not sure, maybe Jamaica.”

“Do you get home sick going everywhere?”

Alex shook his head, “the world is my home.”

 “Makes sense,” Cody smiled.

“Sometimes, I do wish I had someone special with me. I went to New York once with my girlfriend.”

“You have a girlfriend?”

“Ex,” he said soft.

“I guess love isn’t on either of our side.”

“There’s more than one type of love.”

“I know, but even between couple. We don’t seem lucky.”

“When I meet someone, I try to learn from them. If I learn just one thing I don’t think it was a waste of time to know them, even if I just learn something about myself. I don’t think love is just about being by someone’s side.”

“I agree. When Dongwoon was an idol and not my boyfriend I still loved him.”

“Then you know what it’s like to love someone from a distance, someone you may never have.”

Cody nodded, “Do you?”

Alex smiled, “I like some but they don’t know. Someday they might. For now it’s better to love them quietly. I just like knowing they exist. I think of them happy, smiling. It hurts when they hurt and I hate the idea of ever being the reason for their frown so I’d rather stay back and watch them be happy, even if means not having them.”

“But you could be the reason for their smile.”

“Maybe. But when you love someone you should be wise enough to know if you’re really good for them. It’s not about someone protecting and loving you but the other way around. After thinking about it I know I’m not the best choice for them. I might be a choice, but not the best one and like I said I hate the idea of hurting him.”

“Him?”

Alex blushed and quickly stood to pay the bill. Cody sat wondering what kind of a guy could tempt someone like Alex. He’d have to be quite special. Alex was someone that Cody wouldn’t peg as gay or even bi, but it wasn’t as if you had a look if you were a gay. It was just what you were. Maybe his girlfriend broke his heart so bad he decided to switch sides. It could be that this guy was someone he met on one of his travels. It must have hard making friends or having a relationship when you were always on the go. Cody sat wondering what else he didn’t know about Alex. He may have lost his boyfriend but he made a friend and Alex was a friend he wanted to keep.

“My grandma called. You ready?”

Cody stood meeting those green eyes again, feeling a sense of happiness that someone like Alex had found him yesterday. He had wanted to ask for a number or email to keep in contact but Alex moved past towards the door stepping outside before Cody had a chance to ask.

The ground was covered in powered white cold, with more flakes falling outside.

Alex laughed, “told you!”

Cody stood in awe among the flakes as they danced and kissed his face. It was bizarrely beautiful. Snow in July. He held out his hand to touch the descending flakes. Cody never had a stranger birthday: a cold breakup, a warm stranger, and now winter in summer. A cloud of snow hit him, as Alex tossed snowballs at him. A snow fight in June with hottie, he’d never forget this. He gathered up a clump of snow, getting ready for revenge. Laughter echoed in the parking lot as Alex and Cody behaved like children in the snow. They slipped and slid in the powder until Cody fell up against the car pulling on Alex’s shirt  to keep from falling, drawing him into him. Their laughter slowed, hot breaths escaped from their lips, as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

Cody’s heart was beating unusually fast. He didn’t shudder as Alex brought his cold finger to his equally cold face, then his lips, tracing over them longingly.

“Why were you so nice to me?” Cody asked, trying to stall the moment-- to tame the lust in the shining green eyes.

“Because I…I..”—

“CODY!” Shouted a familiar voice.

Cody peeked from the side of Alex to see Dongwoon running towards him, nearly slipping several times in the slick snow.

“Dongwoon?”

Dongwoon clutched onto Cody, holding onto him for dear life.

“Don’t say anything. Just listen. I’m sorry. I thought I could go leave but I couldn’t. You’re my everything and I’ll try harder I promise. I don’t want to lose you. I love you.  Say you’ll forgive me.”

Alex turned his back from the scene as Cody started crying, holding onto his boyfriend. He opened the truck door and was about to hope in when Cody tugged at his arm smiling, “You were right.”

Alex faked a smile, “I told you Dongwoon was sane. Oh um, your cake,” he said handing it to him.

“What about my gift and card?”

Alex handed the box to him, nervous of him reading the card. He gave a glare to Dongwoon and was about to turn around when something pushed him. With little thought, he punched Dongwoon hard sending him into the ground.

“Don’t ever leave him again!” He scolded, before getting into his car and speeding off.