I turn around the corner and see the bench up ahead. Gerard's already there, sitting and observing the city. There are a few dog walkers, a couple of joggers going around. It's a cloudy day but it's still bright out. Maybe it'll clear up later. It's been getting colder these last few days. Winter is catching up to us. Well, the weather is. Winter is already here.

I quicken my pace and Gerard notices me, standing up when I get close. "Hey, what's going on?" he asks with a smile. His breath spirals out into the air. He glances at me and his smile slowly fades and he gets serious. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I whisper. Gerard takes a step closer at my side and he puts an arm on my shoulder. "I just could use a friend right now."

"Well, I'm here," he says. "You're okay." I nod my head as the two of us start walking forward. Gerard has a long dress coat on, navy blue with the belt tied around his waist and the bottom half of the buttons clasped shut. His grey scarf is warped around his neck and tucked into his coat. He always looks so nice. Here I am wearing jeans and a baggy windbreaker. This won't do any good once there's snow on the ground.

"I've had a lot on my mind and you always seem to ease me," I say sheepishly.

"I do my best," he says. "What's going on, Frank?"

"This is the last week of the semester so after finals, Cody's leaving," I say. I suddenly feel really childish. Here is Gerard, this incredible and talented, really successful guy, who works for this large airplane engineering company and he's dressed to the nines and is so kind and charismatic and just wonderful. And I'm over here moping about my best friend going back home and all these college kid problems.

"Awe, that's rough," he says, "but at least he got to finish the semester here."

"Yeah, I am glad he stayed as long as he did. I just...I found out that I'm leaving right after spring break-"

Gerard stops walking and he looks at me hurt, which takes me aback. "You're leaving?"

"I...yeah, I'm going back then. I can stay for the break but then my classes are back in New York." Gerard lets go of me and he shuts down. "You're upset about this?"

"What? Well, yeah, I was hoping you'd stay longer," he says.

"You think you're still going to be here in the spring?"

He chuckles under his breath but it seems out of frustration. "Oh, I have no idea what's happening. I could leave tomorrow or next year. But based on the rate of everything getting processed, it seems like I'll be here for a long while." The two of us start walking again. I wish he put his arm back around my shoulder.

I nod along. "Well, for the remaining time I'm here, I hope you are too," I tell him. I glance down at the sidewalk as we continue walking. "I...like you," I whisper.

"I like you too, Frank," he says.

Mmm, not like that but I'll take it. "That's reassuring. I sometimes worry that I annoy you."

"What? No, no, of course not," he says, looking at me sadly. "Did I do someth-"

"Oh, no, nothing. Just...I'm younger than you and less mature."

"Younger than me, yes, but I wouldn't say less mature."

"Well, I'm in college still, I feel like my problems are childish."

"Frank, there are people in their late thirties still in college," he says.

"Yeah, fair. But I'm four years younger than you."

Gerard pauses for a moment and I worry that he just realized. "It doesn't bother me. Are you uncomfortable?"

"Not at all," I tell him.

"Well, we're both adults and we're both okay with it." I don't say anything, keeping fixated at the sidewalk. "I work in a company that travels a lot and you're in college on a study abroad. Do we live different lives? Yes, we're different people. But our paths have crossed and I honestly am glad they did. I'm often busy but I do enjoy hearing from you and I like spending my free time with you."

"I'm happy to hear that. But you don't get a lot of free time so I don't want to take it all up."

"Frank, please, take it up. I enjoy being with you," he says. "And what else would I do with it?"

"Phh, I don't know," I mutter, giving a shrug. "F...Friends?" I catch myself before I say family. I hate accidentally bringing it up but I'm getting better at it.

"All my friends are my colleagues so I see them during work," he laughs.

"Oh, then, are you seeing anyone?"

"No."

I like the sound of that. "Oh, really?" I ask with a smile. He glances at me but he refrains from smiling too. I laugh it off and sigh. "Gerard, I really like you," I say. It's not like I'm dropping the bomb on him. He already knew about this because I told him from day one. And he would have figured out by now with how I act around him.

He finally breaks into a smile once I say that and he sighs as well. "Oh, Frank, what will I do with you?"

"Anything you'd like," I say. "I give you permission."

The smile lingers on his lips and he glances up at the sky. "Let me get you a drink then."

I turn my head and stare at him. "Now?" I ask. He nods his head. "It's the morning."

"No, I meant coffee," he says.

"Oh," I mutter. "Yeah, sounds good." He chuckles lightly and looks at me sweetly. "Can...I kiss you?"

He glances down but he doesn't look mad or disgusted. "Let's just stick with a coffee date for now."

"Oh, so it's a date?" I lean closer to him, staring upward.

"Well, silly, what do you think these last few times have been?"

My face drops. "Wait, those were-those were all dates?"

"If you'd like them to be, we can consider them so. If not, just two guys getting coffee in a completely heterosexual manner."

"Oh, phh, nothing I do is heterosexual, all homo." He looks at me amused and laughs. Suddenly, there's a huge and loud boom that echoes throughout the city. The two of us jump back, stopping in our tracks. Gerard reflexively puts a hand over my chest and darts around. Everyone around us, the people crossing the street, the drivers in the cars, even the dogs going for walks, they all react and look around. A few people even scream startled and all the dogs start barking. The echo rings out and fades away. "What was that?" I ask trying to figure out which direction that came.

Gerard glances back at me narrows his eyes. "I have...no idea." The cars continue driving and people continue walking but they're glancing around as if they'll see whatever it was. "It sounded in the distance but it was still loud."

"It echoed," I comment. "Whatever, that was weird though."

"Yeah," he says, glancing behind us. I look behind too but there's nothing there. Gerard realizes his arm is in front of me and he takes it back. He looks slightly embarrassed but I just smile at him. It's cute he's protective.

The two of us go get coffee at our usual place. Gerard buys both of our drinks and we sit at our usual table next to the front, glass window. The television has the news on like it always does. The weather is currently airing. More snow is coming. I'll have to dig out my winter coat and start wearing it then. "Isn't it a bit odd that they're sending you back mid-semester?" Gerard asks, sipping his coffee.

I hold mine with both hands, warming up my fingers. "Yeah, kind of. But it's like I'm switching professors since it's all just stuff for credits. I'm basically done, I just need a few blow-off classes."

"Would you rather have a full semester in the same place?" he asks.

"I mean, if I could say until May, that would be really nice. But I'm glad I can stay the extra few months instead of going back now. I'm still not ready to leave." Gerard nods along. "So what about you? How much more work and meetings do you have?"

"Well," he sighs heavily, "we just gone through some shipment orders and we're working on scheduling when we can discuss inventory for the following season. And things are busy too. The business department of the company is on the move due to upcoming holidays so just really hectic." A few people start chattering up by the counter, chairs scraping as people stand up. I glance over and see the television displaying BREAKING NEWS in red across the screen with footage of a large building on fire and black smoke everywhere. "Frank-"

I glance down, seeing I'm tipping my cup over with coffee dribbling from the lid. "Oh, gosh," I hold it up as Gerard takes a napkin and wiping the brim of the cup.

"What are you doing?" he jokes, getting a few napkins and wiping what spilled on the table. My eyes fixate back to the news. This is now. This just happened. Salzburg. This happened here. Just now. "Frank?" I glance back at Gerard, not sure what to say. His smile dwindles as he sees my attention is elsewhere and he turns around, staring at the news. Others are clustered around the TV that's hung up in the corner of the ceiling. The waiters and waitress and kitchen staff have all stopped to watch what's happening.

Gerard jumps up, nearly tripping back over his chair. "Gerard!" I reach up and grab his arm but he pulls away from me, regaining his balance.

He looks at me frantic. "That's here, isn't it?"

"It's some hotel nearby," I whisper. His eyes widen in panic and he turns around, bolting out of the cafe. "Gerard!" I call after him but he's out the door. I set my drink down and chase after him. I open the door, seeing he's thrown his coffee down in the ground, the liquid exploded over the sidewalk. He's running down the street and up ahead, there's smoke rising in the sky.