Page 44 of What It Means To Be Found

Logan had rolled his eyes.

“Excuse me?” Courtney had also seen his eye roll. “Do you have a problem with this movie?”

Logan turned and gave Courtney a raised eyebrow, an expression on his face that indicated he didn’t have to explain his reasoning to dismiss the movie.

“I could probably do a romcom tonight,” Josh said, wrapping a tattooed arm around Courtney, and tugging her back into his side. It was a fruitless effort—once Courtney got started, it was difficult to stop her.

“No, no, please,” Courtney smirked at the hockey player in the room, a challenge in her eyes. “Enlighten us with why this movie deserved an eye roll.”

Logan lifted his hands to sign, and I found myself studying them more. I was still in the middle of completing one of my online ASL programs whenever I had time at night, but not as much as I was hoping to have done by now (thanks, Mom), so I was very curious to see if I could pick up anything with the speed in which Logan signed.

He had been using ASL as his preferred form of communication since he was in college, according to Courtney.

“First of all, how dare you,” Courtney challenged. “I think you’re the only one in this room who thinks the movie is fluff.”

And at that, even though I didn’t understand Logan’s hands, Courtney had made his opinion perfectly clear.

The spark of rage I felt started to burn.

“Fluff? Are you kidding me?” I sat up on my seat, facing Logan entirely. “What makes it fluff? What would you like to see to make it not fluff?” Logan faced me, his dark eyes narrowed a little as he took in my confrontational body language and lifted his hands to sign. Beck vocalized for him because his hands were moving quickly.

Nothing actually happens in these movies, Logan explained, Where is the action? Adventure? Movies where the love story is the main event, are too predictable.

It was my turn to roll my eyes at him, because men. “So, what you’re saying is, movies where good things happen to women and women are treated with respect by their romantic partners are too boring for you?”

Logan’s eyes widened a little at my words, his hands quickly coming up to deny my claim, No, that’s not what I’m saying. Courtney had settled back against Josh, a smirk on her lips as she watched Logan and I go back and forth.

“That is what you’re saying, though!” I lifted my hands in the air, adrenaline coursing in my veins at the familiar irritation I felt for this man. “You just said ‘nothing happens’ in these movies. What you really mean is, you need there to be some sort of violence or betrayal or action-adventure in order to be interested in the story. Because a story entirely based on emotional vulnerability and everlasting love of women is not enough!”

That’s not just my opinion, Logan signed as Beck vocalized for him, That’s the opinion of the Oscars, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and every other movie rating service.

“Which are run entirely by, say it with me—” I lifted my hands in the air again as if I was a conductor at an orchestra as our friends spoke with me, “—Men.”

Logan raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Josh and Adam, who had spoken with the ladies in the room.

“She’s right, man,” Adam shrugged, making Beck shift against his side. “If women were given the same amount of power that men had in Hollywood, romantic comedies would get higher ratings and appreciation. Romance is the most popular genre of movies and books because of how many women consume them, and yet, they get the lowest ratings because men control the system.”

Logan pursed his lips, a thoughtful nod on his head as he took in Adam’s explanation, I guess I can see your point.

I saw red. “The fuck?”

Courtney and Josh laughed at my reaction, probably assuming what I was going to say next.

I didn’t need anyone’s vocalization to understand Logan’s next sign of, What?

“Do you not understand what just happened?” I stood, making Josh cackle and hide his face in Courtney’s shoulder at my animation. “You were literally just arguing with me, but then Adam—a man—chimed in and stood up for my argument, and then you started to ‘see his point.’”

Beck and Adam were both trying their best to hide amused smiles, whereas Courtney and Josh were both openly laughing without shame at the situation.

Logan narrowed his eyes at me as he sat up, even though I was standing taller than him, his body language still held a bit of dominance as he met my gaze and started signing. No one was vocalizing, so he tapped Courtney’s leg to get her attention so that she could vocalize for him.

That’s not what happened, Logan argued, Adam just happened to make a clearer argument than you.

I gaped at him, making Josh snort at my expression.

“Logan, you’re digging yourself a hole, buddy,” Josh chuckled.

“You know what?” I shook my head in frustration as I growled in irritation and turned to leave the living room, heading towards the doorway where our shoes and bags were laying around. Maybe it was because Logan and I had always struggled to get along, or maybe it was because he was choosing to be ignorantly misogynistic. Or maybe I was tired and sensitive because of everything going on in my life.

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