A l'automne

I was afraid of what the following day would bring, more so for Norman than myself. I'd had, on multiple occasions, gone out for something simple like coffee or sometimes an actual date with a celebrity, and reactions weren't very pretty to say the least.
We were midway through the night, when I realized he had a hold of my hand. No one part of the actual event gave a second look or even asked. Norman struck me as, if anything, the womanizer. He certainly had the face for it.
The night came to an end sooner than I would have hoped. I stole glances of him often, between staring up in wonder at the city. He was a genuinely happy person, you could tell; but somehow you could also tell there was an underlying sadness there, or maybe that was just his character.
We stood in the hallway between our apartment doors.
"I really enjoyed having you around tonight." He smiled at me, and I saw his eyes through the strands of hair covering his face, forever remaining a most beautiful blue.
"I had a great time, too, thanks for inviting me." I turned, expecting no more of a conversation, or at least nothing more beyond 'goodnight.'
To my surprise, he gently held my wrist, and pulled me back to him. We were face to face, so close, closer than we'd ever been.
"Don't think I'd let you leave without saying goodnight, did you?" He smiled down at me, because even in my heels I still wasn't as tall as he was.
He brought his face closer to mine, and planted a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes, and breathed in a sharp breath as a flood of memories came back and hit me like a tidal wave. I pulled away from Norman, stumbling.
"I, umm, I'm sorry, goodnight, Norman." I tried a smile, but knew it wasn't convincing by the look on his face.
I felt embarrassed, and slid down my closed apartment door when I got inside, and buried my face in my hands.
After a few minutes, I heard a very quiet and subtle knocking on the door; followed by a just as quiet "Autumn,"
I drew in a sharp breath, "Yeah?"
There was a hesitation, "I'm sorry."
I sighed, a silent sigh from where he was on the other side of the door, "It isn't your fault."
"That doesn't excuse me from my actions."
I stood and opened the door to see Norman crouched on the floor in front of my apartment entrance, "It was a spur of the moment kind of thing."
He stood, "I'm still sorry."
I felt bad, I didn't need to bring up my bullshit past from something as small as an innocent kiss on the forehead. I grinned, "I wouldn't want you to take it back though."
Norman smiled back, "I wouldn't either, goodnight, Autumn."
I could sincerely tell he understood me in a way that other people didn't, and I didn't even have to say a single word. He saw beyond the surface, and I couldn't help but to appreciate that and smile to myself. In the few days that we'd been hanging out, he made the city seem new again, the world seem beautiful again, and he made me feel happy again.
The morning came quickly, I watched the last bit of night disappear from the sky, and along with it, went my chance to make up for anymore lost sleep.
The soft knocking upon my door immediately put a smile on my face.
"Good morning." I was greeted by a smiling Norman. "I think it's only right that I make it up to you."
"That so?"
He nodded, "So, how can I make it up to you?"
I couldn't contain my grin, "Spend the day with me doing absolutely nothing."
He stuck out his hand, "Deal."
I shook it; this started the day that the two of us spent entirely together, literally doing nothing. And enjoying every minute of it.