“Yeah, it really is,” I whisper back, staring at their eyes as they reflect the screen. I’ve never been able to pull my gaze from a movie, especially a romance, but Ross’s reactions are so captivating. This is the power of a good movie, and why I’ve always wanted to direct them. Ross looks like they’re actually connecting with humanity, like they’re seeing that we’re more than just concrete buildings and fishing nets. There’s a slight sparkle in their eyes, welling with just the tiniest bit of water. They blink once and a tear falls down their cheek.

Ross gasps as it falls and brings their hand up to their face, catching the tear with their pointer finger.

“A tear,” Ross whispers.

It hits me then that they’ve probably never cried before. How could you if you’ve lived your life surrounded by water?

“You okay?”

Ross nods. I feel so pulled in by them that my body actually leans toward theirs. Normally when someone’s crying, I want to make them feel better. If this was Dominic, I’d kiss away the tears, something that always made him laugh and helped him feel better, like the time he found out he didn’t get into UCLA. But Ross’s is a different sort of cry. It’s soft and gentle. There’s so much beauty to it, so much significance that this is literally the first tear they’ve shed and that it’s brought on by two characters falling in love. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I get to witness.

I lean back, not wanting to ruin this moment for Ross. They should get to feel this without me trying to swoop in and stop the tears. Sometimes tears are a good thing.

But when I settle into my seat and look back at Ross, they’re not staring at their hand anymore. The lone teardrop slides down their finger. They’re not looking at the screen either.

They’re looking right at me.

     Ross     

When Sean leaned in, I thought he was going to kiss me. Here, in our pod, just like Allie and Noah in the movie. Well, not just like, especially considering that amount of rain would probably make my fin kick in, and that would certainly cause a scene in a theater full of couples trying to have their own romantic date night. But he was for sure going to kiss me.

And I . . . wasn’t against it.