Six

Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes – Oscar Wilde

“Are you going to that?” Emma asked, gesturing to the wall.

Autumn glanced up from her laptop to the poster that Emma was pointing to. It was an advertisement for a party that was being hosted by the student union (which always seemed to be hosting a party). “Hells to the no. I work on Saturdays. I can’t afford to take time off for parties.”

“Well that sucks,” Emma muttered. “I wanted someone to go with.”

“Indeed.” Autumn replied. “Ask Faith, maybe she can go with you.”

“Where am I going now?” Faith asked as she came up behind the two girls. She, like Autumn, enjoyed eyeliner and funky hairstyles: at the moment her black hair was cut in an asymmetrical bob.

“To the party this Saturday?” Emma asked hopefully.

“Sorry, no such luck.” Faith replied, sitting between the two. They were in a tiny cafe by the arts lounge, their usual meeting place. “Robert is taking me to a corn maze that night.”

“Oooh, fancy!`” Autumn crooned.

“Yeah...” Faith sighed, rummaging through her purse for her lunch. “Well, enough about that.”

Autumn glanced up from her screen. “Do you not want to go?”

“I do. I just... never mind. Lets talk about something else.” Faith cleared her throat. “So, Autumn, I saw that someone has a new FaceBook friend.”

“What?”

“Someone added a boy to her FaceBook friends...” Faith repeated, grinning.

“Oh my god you`re dating someone!” Emma gasped. “And here I thought you were going to die alone!”

“I`m going to have my cats. I’ll never die alone. And I`m not dating anyone.” Autumn sighed, shooting a look at both girls. “He`s just a classmate. I lent him notes. He`ll save me a seat at the front of the class. Nothing else.”

“Oh,” Emma replied with a sigh. “Too bad. I though that we could go on triple dates.”

“I`ve actually never met your significant other,” Autumn replied, pushing the spotlight from herself.

“Oh, Sam is great,” Emma replied. “You`ll love her.”

“Wait, you`re dating a girl now?” Faith interrupted. “I thought you were dating that Josh guy.”

“I was. We`re still friends, but I like Sam better. She`s more interesting... and besides, she lends me her shoes.”

“I thought you said that you liked guys better because they were less complicated...” Faith mused.

“Less complicated, yes. But complication makes for amusement. And, besides: The shoes!” Emma sighed.

“Maybe I should try dating a girl.” Autumn mused. “Twice the wardrobe.”

“Are you sexually attracted to women?” Emma asked.

“Not really.”

“Then stick with guys.” Emma advised. “Girls are harder to get, except for the slutty ones. And those aren`t worth it.”

“Thanks for the advice.” Autumn replied, suppressing a giggle.

“But guys require a lot of explanation,” Faith sighed.

Autumn was about to reply when she heard her name. She looked up from her friends and noticed Chris standing in front of them, his hand raised in a salute.

“Um... hi,” Autumn said, cheeks burning. She would never hear the end of this.

“Hi.” Chris came over to the table. Faith and Emma stared at him, eyes wide, as he addressed Autumn. “How are you?”

“Fine,” Autumn replied, trying to appear nonchalant. “You?”

“Good.” Chris replied. He pointed to the poster that Emma had noticed earlier. “Are you going to that?”

“No, I work that night.” Autumn replied.

“Ah. Too bad.” Chris replied. “Thanks for the notes, by the way.”

“No problem.” Autumn replied.

“So I hear that you`re saving our little Autumn a seat at the front of the class...” Faith put in. “That`ll be nice. We won`t have to listen to her complaining about the people in front of her anymore.”

Autumn`s ears burned as Chris smiled, replying, “I`m glad I could help.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Autumn cleared her throat, glancing at her watch. “Well we should probably head off to class...”

“Where are you headed?” Chris asked.

“Um... Tier two-fourteen.” Autumn replied.

“I`m going to Tier. Can I walk you there?”

“Um... sure...” Autumn replied, glancing at her friends.

“Yeah we`re headed in the complete opposite direction,” Emma said, grabbing Faith by the elbow. “See you guys later.”

“Yeah, bye!” Faith added, slinking off with her pink-haired companion. Autumn heard them giggling.

“Ok. Well...” Autumn grabbed her things, making a mental note to beat the living hell out of her friends when she next saw them. Chris waited for her to put on her jacket and sling her laptop bag over her shoulder.

“So... first year?” He asked.

“Of University? Yes.” Autumn replied. “You?”

“Technically my second, but I was here last year.” Chris replied, shortening his steps to keep pace with her. “I dropped out because of some family problems.”

“Oh...” Autumn replied. “Well, good for you for coming back. Lots of people take some time off and never come back.”

“Yeah. Well, I want to have an education, so I forced my ass back.” Chris replied. “So what are you going into next year?”

“I’m thinking Arts.” Autumn replied. She cleared her throat. “I’m probably going to do a double major in English and sociology, since I actually enjoy those subjects... how about you?”

“Arts, with a Sociology major and a minor in Sciences.” Chris replied. He ran his hand through his short hair, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe we’ll have more classes together.”

“Maybe.” Tier loomed in front of them and Autumn nearly tripped over Chris as he opened the door for her. She wasn’t used to chivalry, especially not from someone she considered to be a complete stranger. “Um... thanks.”

“No problem.”

Autumn expected him to go his separate way as she started up the stairs to the second floor, but he followed her. Autumn was glad that her class was close to the top of the stairs – she wasn`t used to this sort of attention.

“So, have a good class,” Autumn said, smiling shyly. “See you in Sociology.”

“Wait...” Chris cleared his throat and Autumn paused. “Um... I actually wanted to ask you something.”

“Ok.” Autumn shifted her weight from one foot to another. She wanted to get to class and then go home. “Shoot.”

“Well, I was thinking... did you maybe want to... go out for coffee sometime?” Chris asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Autumn stared at him, uncomprehending. Her prof walked right past her, nodding in her direction as he passed, but she ignored him. “Um... what?”

“Or a movie. Or a drink. Your choice,” Chris added.

“... On, like, a date?” Autumn asked, incredulous.

“... Yeah...” He cleared his throat again.

“Uh...” Autumn tried to search her head for a proper response. The next word popped out before she could pull herself together. “Sure...”

“Ok. Great.” He pulled out his cell phone with a relieved smile. “Can I get your number?”

Autumn spouted out her digits numbly, not quite sure of what just happened.

“Great. Thanks.” Chris saved her information. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

“... Sure...” Autumn replied. For something coherent to say, she mumbled, “I should get to class...”

“Ok. Pay attention.” Chris replied, waving as he turned. “See you tomorrow!”

“Ok...” Autumn replied, watching as he walked away. She pinched the bridge of her nose, adjusting her glasses and bringing herself back into reality. Autumn turned into her classroom, going to a seat by the window and sitting numbly, taking her laptop from her bag but unable to turn it on.

With a anaesthetized sort of thought Autumn realised that she had just been asked on her first ever date.

Autumn rode the bus home in silence, unaware of the world around her. She let herself into her house and walked right past Maggie, who was rubbing against her ankles for attention, up to her darkened room. Autumn took out her laptop and plugged it in to charge, wondering what she would say to her parents.

Autumn snapped back into reality and picked up her phone, plopping on her bed, pressing the icon to take her to her contact list. She stared numbly at the list of names, wondering who to text first. Her Mom, of course, with Faith and Emma second. Autumn started typing out her message and then closed her phone abruptly, unable to piece together a logical text message without making it sound like she was bouncing off of the walls.

Autumn dropped her phone on her bedside table and slid off of her bed to the ground, kneeling on all fours, flattening herself before sliding underneath the bed.

“Crowley?” She whispered, wondering if she should be bothering him for something so trivial. “Crowley? You awake?”

A grunt sounded beneath the hardwood floor, followed by, “I am now. Am I late?”

“No, actually, its not even four o`clock yet.” Autumn replied.

“Then why are you waking me up?” Crowley asked.

Autumn cleared her throat. “Um... you know Sociology Guy?”

“Vaguely.” Crowley replied, trying to sound vague and nonchalant, though his voice betrayed his apprehensive frame of mind. “What about him?”

“Um... he asked me out,” Autumn replied.

There was a cracking sound as air was quickly removed from the small space under the bed. Autumn felt herself slide across the floorboards as Crowley entered her world, reclining next to her on the floor. Though it seemed more than dark enough to her, Autumn could tell from the expression on his face that Crowley was in pain. In spite of his aversion to daylight (no matter how little was able to filter through Autumn’s carefully laid defences), Crowley opened his eyes wide and turned to look at her.

“He did what?” Crowley asked.

“Asked me out.”

“Out where?”

“On a date.”

“That`s what I thought you were alluding to...” Crowley was silent for a moment, turning his head to look at Autumn. Her feet dangled outside of the confines of the bed and she crossed her arms under her chin. “And what did you say?”

“I’m pretty sure that I said yes,” Autumn replied, reaching with one hand to adjust the bed skirt so that it held out what little light there was. “I was kind of taken by surprise.”

“Oh,” Crowley fell silent for a moment, covering his eyes with his long, thin hands. After a pause he asked, “Do you... feel... anything for him?”

“I barely know him,” Autumn replied. Outside of the bed skirt, her feet twisted around each other. “I... I`m not quite sure what I think of the whole situation yet...”

“I thought you said that he wasn`t hitting on you.” Crowley muttered.

“Well I didn`t think he was,” Autumn replied. “But apparently he was interested.”

“Apparently.” Crowley replied. He removed his hands from his eyes, regarding Autumn with a look that she couldn’t quite decipher. “Well... what are your feelings on the subject?”

“I’m not really sure,” Autumn admitted. After a long pause, she added, “I guess he could be my type.”

“You have a type?” Crowley asked.

“Sort of.” Autumn admitted. “Its not, like, tall dark and handsome or anything like that. It`s more of a solid-looking type of guy. Broad shoulders, clean cut hair, personal hygiene. That type of thing.”

“Hmm.” Crowley replied. He covered his eyes again. “And he fits your `type`?”

“I guess. Honestly, I haven`t looked at him too closely.” Autumn smiled, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “I was beginning to think I would go the crazy cat lady route.”

“So much for that,” Crowley sighed.

“I could still go that way. Its just one date... if he even holds me to it.” Autumn replied. “Who knows, he could have already met some gorgeous girl in one of his other classes, with a real haircut...”

“Doubtful,” Crowley replied.

As though on queue, Autumn`s phone began to ring. She moved swiftly, smacking her head on the bottom of her bed and cursing. Crowley disappeared promptly, leaving Autumn alone to work her way through her phone call.

She grabbed her cell phone, pressing the answer button. “Hello?”

“Hi. Autumn?”

“This is she.”

“Hi, it`s Chris.”

“Hi,” Autumn said.

“How are you?” He asked.

“Um...” She rubbed the back of her head. “Fine.”

“Oh. That’s good.” There was a pause. Autumn heard him clear his throat on the other end. “So... have you given any thought to what you might like to do tomorrow night?”

Autumn pursed her lips. “Not really.”

“Oh...”

“... coffee might be nice,” Autumn added. Coffee was quick, which mean that it would end quickly if things went sour.

“Oh. Ok.” Chris replied. “Did you have a certain place you like to go?”

“Not especially,” Autumn replied.

“Oh. Ok.” Another short pause. “Um... how about the Starbucks on Henderson?”

“Sure,” Autumn replied. That was close to home. That was safe.

“Ok. What time did you want to go?”

“Well, I don’t usually get home until after three, and I have to study and make supper after that... maybe around seven or eight?” Autumn suggested.

“Eight sounds good.” Chris replied. “See you then?”

“Okay,” Autumn replied. Her phone beeped twice. “Talk to you later.”

“Ok. Bye.” Chris hung up.

Autumn glanced at her phone to see who else was calling her. It was Emma. She answered. “You miserable skanks...”

“Oh, sounds like someone got a little something-something in our absence.” Emma crooned.

“Yeah. I got asked out.” Autumn replied, reclining on her bed.

“OH EM GEE!” Emma gasped. “Are you shitting me?”

“No.”

“Oh my god you’re finally going to get some romantic attention.” Came a background voice.

“Is Faith with you?” Autumn asked, repressing a smile.

There was a scuffle as someone grabbed the phone, then Faith’s voice came loud and clear: “Yeah its me, bitch.”

“What is it with you two throwing me to the dogs there.”

“We could pretty much tell from the way he was looking at you that he was interested, so we gave him an opportunity.” Faith replied. “And I’m guessing that he took it?”

“Oh yeah.”

“You’re welcome.” Faith replied sweetly. She handed the phone back to Emma.

“Awww!” Emma crooned.

“I’m going to stop answering the phone when you two call me.”

“Oh, noes! Then who would drive you insane?!” Emma asked.

“Well, hopefully, no one.”

“Shut up.”