Mira yawned and rested her head against Deimos’ shoulder. She blankly stared at Deimos’ large monitor as he played Abzu, the gentle dings and beeps breaking the silence between them. The neon blues and greens from the game poured over his skin, the reflection of the monitor in his eyes. She listened to the clicks of his mouse and the taps of his keyboard, the noises melding together into an incoherent melody that took hold of her for a moment. Her head slipped from his shoulder and she repositioned herself. Naturally, Deimos paused the game to wrap the blanket around them tighter and leave space for Mira to wrap her arm around his. Before he could start playing again, Mira interlaced their hands together and brought his up to her lips. She kissed them, his skin cold to the touch, and let him resume the game.

“You wanna stop for today?” Deimos asked softly.

Mira drowsily looked up at him and nodded. “Probably.”

Before she knew it, Deimos had turned off his computer and carried her to bed. Calmly, he pulled the sheets high above them, their limbs tangled together and bodies pressed close. The blanket floated gently on top, and Deimos sighed softly. He relaxed quickly and wrapped an arm around her. Mira could barely keep her eyes open.

“Mira?”

“Hm?”

“I’m thinking of visiting my family at the end of July.”

“For how long?”

“Two weeks, maybe more, I don’t know.”

“Ok,” she mumbled.

“Is it ok…if I talk about you?”

Mira cracked open her eyes and peered up at him. “Yeah, of course.” She slid her hands to his waist and rubbed him softly. “Oh yeah, Raven brought up the possibility of a road trip a few weeks from now. We’d be going over the border to Annie’s beach house.”

“You wanna go?”

“I do, do you?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll ask her for more details and round up our little group.”

“Your group is enormous.”

Mira smiled into his chest.

Ugh, it’s so hot.

It’s unbearably hot. The smell of forest fires combined with the beating hot sun? Terrible.

Kalmin wiped the sweat off his chin and took another swig of his water bottle. The smell of the dirt and grime of the baseball diamond filled his lungs and smeared his cheek. He rubbed his shaven head, knowing for sure he had smeared more dirt on him by doing so, feeling the short hairs left on his head as well as the sweat that pooled out of his pores and dripped down his chin.

He was stripped in just a tank top and his baseball pants now yet it was still so goddamn hot. The air was hot. The sun was hot. The water was hot. Benches hot. Bat hot. Skin hot. Hot, hot, hot. Shit.

He pushed up his imaginary hair again, a nervous quirk he obtained from such a young age he couldn’t get rid of it, and sighed loudly. The sweaty, smelly boys around him chatted to each other, everyone looking out at the diamond longingly for their turn. It was the last inning and they were clearly going to win. It was inevitable now. Yet they still had to play the goddamn game even though their shoes were melting into the hot dirt.

Gnawing the side of his tongue, Kalmin finally gave up and stood up from his spot. No one would notice him. He’s at the end of the line, ace batter, terrible person. No one would care. No one ever does. Only the coach, and he looks preoccupied with the game.

Quietly, Kalmin swiped up his bags and walked out of the field.

No one batted an eye.

Off the grass and onto the pavement, the temperature rose exponentially. The boiling pavement brought a wave of heat Kalmin didn’t expect and he chugged the rest of his hot water and shoved it back into his bag. He’d just buy a cold iced tea or juice at the gas station near the swimming pool. The swimming pool, an air-conditioned, cool-tiled place where there were vending machines at every corner with cheap drinks and snacks. A complete 180 from the baseball diamond, a stupid patch of grass in the middle of nowhere with the sign of life a fifteen grueling minute walk away. Kalmin did have his bike though. Not that it really made a difference. It sort of just blew hot air on him.

Several people who walked on the sidewalk that Kalmin biked on yelled at him to put a helmet on or to bike in the bike lane even though the traffic was going the opposite way.

When he reached the gas station that glittered like an oasis in the simmering heat, Kalmin practically threw himself inside the store and embraced the sweet relief of air conditioning. Ice cold air pooled across his face and body and he smiled softly to himself. The cashier looked like he was ready to call 911 and Kalmin just sniffed and wiped the sweat off his chin. Usually he would have glared back but he was more worried about passing out from heat stroke. Grabbing three cans of iced tea, he stood in front of the fridge for a moment to let the icier air envelop his body.

Summer fucking sucks.

Forced sport games, fake friends, stupid drama. Long days, short nights. Hot weather, no water.

God it’s so hot.

The gas station door jingled and Kalmin looked out to see another customer come inside. It was just him and the cashier, and Kalmin could see the cashier visibly relax when the short Asian girl smiled at him. For a second, Kalmin just stared at her, curious at her current complexion. Her long black hair was plastered against her dewy tanned skin, and her clothes were baggy and revealing. Kalmin noticed the obvious paint smears on her tank top and legs, and when she got closer, there was white dots of paint on her enormous low-hanging glasses, which she pushed up periodically. Suddenly her eyes that have been tracking the various colourful candies and chocolates snapped up to him. Her lips quirked into a little smile, cheeks red, but not red because of him, but probably because of the sun.

“Could I grab something?” She asked softly. She pushed her thick black hair off her face, a bead of sweat slipping down her cheek, neck and disappearing into her shirt.

“It’s all yours,” Kalmin said calmly. He stepped out of the way for her, having the decency to keep the door open. The little girl reached up to the top stack and grabbed an iced coffee. Kalmin glanced quickly down and smirked at the fact she was on her tippy toes. The other iced coffees clinked together as they slid to the front, frightening the girl with a little yelp.

“I thought they were going to break,” she laughed nervously, looking up at him.

Kalmin blinked.

“Mira?” He said bluntly.

With a jolt, Kalmin woke up.

Immediately, the sound of cars roaring down the highway, the whispers of a radio, and the hum of a fan overwhelmed his senses. Sunlight blasted out of his window and pooled onto his sweaty dark bronze skin. Throwing the hot sheets off him, Kalmin sat up and clutched his head, panting hard.

It’s been a while since he had such a vivid dream.

He’s definitely played baseball before on a summer’s day. When he shaved his head, he was in high school. He’s visited that gas station near the swimming pool when he was younger. He trashed that old bike after he graduated.

Did Mira have long hair?

The thought confused him. She looked nice with short hair. But, long hair Mira would be nice to look at too.

What an odd dream.

Sighing, Kalmin got up and wandered through the empty house. His parents were probably working so he had the place to himself. In his first year, on days like this, he’d call Aaron up and invite him to game for the whole day. But, Aaron was with Gabriel now. In his first year, he’d probably be up in the university with his teammates, but they were all busy now. In his first year, he’d go out and find someone. But Kalmin is Kalmin now.

What has changed in a span of a year?

Quietly, Kalmin poured himself a glass of water.

It was too quiet inside this house.

By instinct, he called Aaron. He sat on his counter beside his untouched glass of water.

“Hey,” he said calmly.

“Hi,” he replied. “Where are you?”

“Going to work. It’s your day off right?”

“Yeah.”

“Bored?”

He hummed.

“Come visit. I’ll make you something.”

“Thanks,” he chuckled. He hung up. Aaron knew him too well. He knew too many sides of him that Kalmin was ashamed of.

While he walked in the summer heat, Kalmin wondered about his old bike and wished he still had it. He should have bought a new one. He should have done many things.

God, it was going to be one of those days. He could feel it in his bones. Tiredness sunk in. Depression hit him like a wave. Loneliness weighed him down.

Mira and Deimos were chatting with Aaron and Gabriel when he arrived. What a sight. Throughout the month, it had become a running gag for Ethan and the others to make Kalmin deliver drinks to the couple’s table. He wondered what they found so amusing, but anyway, in turn, he’s sort of mingled with their group now. He was still an acquaintance though. In Mira’s contacts, he probably still had his formal first and last name. Deimos or Gabriel, however, probably had emojis or nicknames to them. He was the guy that sits at the end of the bench at outings. He was the guy that got the end seat on movie theater dates.

“Hey, there,” Mira greeted happily. Her eyes ran up his figure. “First time seeing you not in your work clothes.”

“Hi,” he greeted back, shoving his hands into his pockets. He joined her beside the counter. The day was slow, and there was only two other customers in the café. It was too hot to go out. Deimos was gnawing on his cold drink’s straw and he glanced over at him, curious. Even in hot weather, Deimos still opted out for a black t-shirt and jeans. Mira on the other hand was loving the crop tops and high waisted short shorts.

“Hot day,” he sighed.

“Hot day,” Mira giggled. “I wanted to invite Gabriel to go to the beach, but this jerk has work.”

Gabriel was cleaning the counters and barked a laugh. “Hey, I’m trying my best here. Now that you’ve told me about the dumb road trip, I’ve gotta work extra time to pay for all the booze.”

“Speaking of booze,” Aaron interjected. “Wouldn’t it be illegal for us in America?”

“Shit, you’re right,” Gabriel groaned. “Fuck, I forgot about that.”

Mira sighed and leaned against Deimos. The male made an annoyed face and Kalmin smiled at him. He noticed his grins and smirked back.

“Is anyone in our group twenty one?” Mira asked.

“Fuck no,” Gabriel said pointedly.

“Are we gonna sneak booze into America?” She joked.

“Might as well,” Aaron shrugged. “Good memories am I right? Fuck the patriarchy.”

She laughed. “I don’t wanna go to jail though.”

“It’ll be fine,” Gabriel waved it off.

While Mira and Gabriel bickered about being locked up in American prison, Aaron made Kalmin his usual drink and their top secret breakfast sandwich that consisted of a glazed donut, eggs, bacon, hash browns and copious amounts of syrup. One time Gabriel made it out of sheer desperation on his break and it’s become a hot item for the workers. Calmly, he ate it by the nearest table to the counter. Kalmin had no business in their “road trip” discussion and ate quietly. However, a few seconds afterwards, Deimos sat in front of him and sighed.

“I hope drinking isn’t the only thing they planned for the road trip,” he commented.

Kalmin chuckled. “Where are you guys going on this magical road trip?” He asked politely. He sipped his iced coffee and smiled as it wasn’t too bitter and wasn’t too sweet. Aaron knew exactly what he liked.

Deimos made a face at him. “You’re coming with us, dude.”

“Wait, what?”

“Has anyone told you yet?”

“No?”

“Oh.” He blinked. “Well, one of Mira’s roommates has a beach house over the border and she’s planning a huge week-long trip down there two weeks from now.”

Shocked, Kalmin blinked back at him. “Wait, and I’m invited?”

“Well, yeah. Gabriel is bringing Aaron and you’re his best friend. Raven wants to see you again too,” he said bluntly. “You’re hitching a ride with us.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” he stuttered. “I-I can’t I’ve got work.”

“Aaron said that he booked you off for that week.”

Hotly, he looked at Aaron, who coincidentally was snooping on their conversation the whole time. He smiled at him wickedly. That asshole has pulled stunts like this before. Midnight drives. Weekend-long road trips. Concert surprises.

However, what he didn’t expect was to be included in whatever road trip this was.