And with that, we both smiled, our hearts filled with newfound hope and excitement for what the future might hold.

The rest of the night was a blur of stolen moments and whispered promises. As the sun began to rise over the horizon, Norman and I found ourselves curled up together in his bed, holding each other close.

We talked about the future, about dreams and plans and fears. And as we drifted off to sleep, I knew that whatever happened next, we would face it side by side, hand in hand.

I may have started out looking for something superficial, but Norman showed me that true love is worth fighting for.