Page 40 of Theoretically Straight

However, as I got older, I learned that there’s a lot more to seating preferences than just viewing quality.

The problems start with the three-seats-per-row setup. On the surface, there’s no need to overthink it: they’re just chairs to sit on while you watch a movie, right? Why would it matter who sits next to you when you’re going to be staring at a screen for however many hours the movie lasts?

Usually, that’s true. For years, it was just me, Harrison, and Elise, so we all just plopped into the middle row and didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until Oliver joined our crew that we even considered the rows of three seats a little awkward because no one wants to be the fourth person who has to sit in a row by themselves when the other three sit together. But the solution was simple: two people per row. Done, easy.

However, Oliver invited a girl to a movie night one time in ninth grade and made a comment that changed everything.

“This setup could really kill the romantic vibe if you’re not careful, dude. You know that saying, ‘two is company, three is a crowd?’ This is why.”

Apparently, for couples, it’s weird to have a third person in the same row.

It got worse once Harrison’s feelings for Elise started to evolve into something more. He acted weird about it at first, wanting to sit next to Elise every single time and eventually insisting that he and Elise sit in the back row, too. But once the truth was out about their relationship, the arrangement made so much more sense for everyone because no one had to watch Harrison and Elise getting handsy, and Oliver and I got to use our middle seat to pile on our snacks or spread our legs across.

And even though I’m the oldest of my friend group, I’m a bit of a late bloomer and was the last of my friends to have a significant other, so it wasn’t until I started having Sienna over for movie nights that I began to understand it myself. Itwasweird having Oliver sitting on the other side of me when I was holding hands with Sienna.

So yeah, seating arrangement anxiety happens a lot. Groups of more than three can be tricky, and teenage hormones sometimes need to be taken into consideration.

But tonight, I shouldn’t have any seating arrangement anxiety at all. It’s a perfect scenario—there are three of us, no one gets left out, and there’s no coupling to worry about. Or at least, not that I know of. Would Caleb date Wren? I know he’s gay, but like…would he be attracted to someone that’s not a guy? Wouldn’t that make him bisexual or pansexual? I don’t know how all that works, and I’m not about to ask tonight, especially after Mom’s slip-up.

Earlier this afternoon, I almost panicked and invited Harrison because it occurred to me that if Caleb brought Wren and Freddy, there would be four of us, which meant that we would need to split up into two rows. Would that mean that Caleb and I would sit together on our own row? Would he be uncomfortable with that? WouldIbe uncomfortable with that? Shit, shit, shit, do I need to get a fifth person to fix this?

But when I opened the door to find just Caleb and Wren, I felt relieved. All seating arrangement anxiety was dispelled. A perfect evening awaits us.

That is, until Wren claimed a seat in the middle row, and Caleb pulled a fast one, forcing me to sit between them.

It’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t change anything; it doesn’t mean anything. Why am I panicking?

“You good?”

I blink out of my stupor to see that Caleb and Wren are staring at me as I’m having a silent crisis about seating. I shake my head, embarrassed. “Yeah, sorry! Let’s do this!” I grab the remote and hop into the middle seat as casually as possible.

Without further ado, I dim the lights and push play, reclining my seat back and settling in.

Caleb places his open bag of sour gummy worms in the cup holder between us. “Want some?” he whispers.

“Sure, thanks,” I whisper back, reaching in for a handful.

The first forty minutes of the movie are pure camp, and it’s fantastic. All three of us laugh out loud at scenes that are particularly silly and corny, which happens way more often than I expected. Caleb’s laugh is also wildly infectious and makes me laugh even harder. Every time he laughs, I turn my head to watch how the screen lights up Caleb’s face and makes his hair look more red than brown. His nose crinkles in this funny way that makes me want to keep him laughing, so I can’t help myself from adding my own commentary in an attempt to have him doubling over.

A few times, we both reach for the gummy worms at the same time, and our hands bump into each other. The electricity is still there. Every single time.

In retrospect, maybe watching a horror movie wasn’t the best way to research whether or not the weird feeling I get around Caleb is a result of being haunted. Whoops.

Oh well. I’ll worry about the research later. Right now, I’m having a blast, and I honestly don’t care what’s causing it. I just like it.

When the gummy worm bag is empty, Caleb removes it from the cup holder so we’re not continually disappointed reaching for it. But even when it’s gone, he leaves his arm casually draped on the armrest with his fingers mindlessly fidgeting at the cup holder edge. The armrest is built for two arms, so I let my arm settle a few inches parallel to his, and it’s almost as if there’s a static electric buildup in the tiny space between us.

At some point, I almost jump as the electrified space is replaced by his arm brushing mine as he shifts in his chair. A chill shoots all the way down my spine at the touch.Whoa.

Caleb stiffens for a moment—does he feel it, too? —then settles in, allowing his arm to stay put against me. The contact of his skin is buzzing against mine, and my heart starts pounding a little harder.

I make a mental note to Google this later.

In the meantime, I refuse to move.

We’re getting to the climax of the movie, and it’s all jump scares from here. I anticipate most of them, but there are a few that still get me.

There’s one scene, however, that gets all of us. Even Wren, who I was convinced was immune to all things horror, curses under their breath as the terrifying Sister Loretta emerges from the darkness to strangle Father Radcliffe to death with her blood-covered spiked rosary.

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