I nod. “...Yes.”
“...But we never decided who I would be ifIwas an animal.”
I huff a quiet breath. There she is.
“For sure a bunny,” I answer.
She turns around immediately, eyebrows raised, now walking backwards. “You did not just call me a bunny.”
“Okay, fine,” I amend, “acartoonbunny.”
“Why cartoon?”
“Because your laugh sounds like one.”
She gasps. “Rude. First of all, and second of all, do you actually think I’d be a bunny?”
“Absolutely, no doubt.”
“Why?” she asks, still walking backwards, arms packed with snacks.
“Well, they’re energetic, jumpy, small—”
“I’m not small.”
“—and clumsy.”
She scuffs. “I am not clum—”
She walks straight into someone’s shoulder. “Oh, sorry,” she blurts, stepping back with a polite smile.
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh, but she catches me and immediately looks away. “Do not laugh.”
“I’m not,” I say, even though I’m barely holding it together.
She shakes her head, already moving on like she can erase it if she’s quick enough. “I’m gonna pretend that never happened.”
“Smart choice,” I mutter, watching her for a second. The frown from earlier isn’t there anymore. And I feel something in my chest loosen.
About half an hour in, the movie has already burned through at least one massive fight scene, explosions, chasing car scenes and other dramatic shit.
Maddy leans forward at one point, elbow on the armrest, completely invested in whatever chaos is happening on screen. I glance over at her without really thinking about it. She’s laughing at something on screen, head tilted slightly, eyes squinting in the way they always do when she actually finds something funny. She looks like she’s having a lot less thoughts running through her head now. Liam’s idea was successful.
A character throws out a one-liner that’s a real classic Dad joke and Maddy snorts loudly—like really loudly. A full, sharp, unmistakable snort that cuts right through the entire theatre.
Nowthatwas her cartoon laugh.
She freezes, then immediately slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes wide like she didn't even register it happening. Around us, a couple of heads turn and I have to press my lips together to fight myself from breaking out into laughter.
She leans closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Do you think they heard me?”
I glance around. Two people are definitely looking, and one guy pretends very hard not to be.
“Nah,” I whisper back, straight-faced. “You’re good.”
She exhales slowly, still suspicious and I can’t help but laugh under my breath.
The movie keeps rolling, more explosions, more dramatic slow-motion running, and we keep eating. There are exactly three pieces of popcorn left and Maddy notices at the same time I do.
