Ross finally loosens their grip enough that I can test to see if they actually did break my pinkie. We’re good.

“Right. Movies. I didn’t realize they would look so lifelike.” They say it so sweetly and full of wonder that I’m caught off guard when Ross goes in for a punch again. Are all merpeople this violent or is it just them? “And you said you wouldn’t laugh at me. We had an agreement.”

I wipe my hand across my mouth, my smile replaced with a very dramatic frown when I pull it away. “Right. This is serious. No laughing.”

“Much better,” Ross says, then turns their attention back to the screen. But this time, they keep their hand in mine. I look around to see if anybody can see us, if maybe Dominic is nearby and can keep obsessing about Ross being all over me. But the walls of our little pod make it so nobody could see inside unless they were right next to us. Ross isn’t performing here. I think about telling them they can let go, but then again, maybe I shouldn’t. My hands feel so off by themselves. What harm is there in letting this go on a little longer, until Ross takes their hand back on their own?

An attendant brings out popcorn, and The Notebook starts as soon as she leaves. Despite the mouthwatering smell of movie theater butter, Ross doesn’t reach for it once. They’re completely drawn in by the movie and give all kinds of commentary throughout.

“He is so handsome.”

“She is gorgeous.”

“Why won’t they just get together already?”

That one elicits a “Will you shut up?!” from someone in the audience who sounds an awful lot like Dominic. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t give me a swell of pride. Even if they can’t see us, we’re still affecting D and Miguel’s first outing to what was formerly our Romance Tuesdays tradition.

Ross doesn’t seem to register Dominic’s yell. They’re just wide-eyed and staring at the screen the whole time, so caught up in it all that we don’t even order food. Ross’s emotions range from anger at Ryan Gosling having to go off to war (“So destructive”) to full-blown wonder and clutching a hand over their chest during the rain-soaked kiss. “It’s so beautiful,” they say.