The Fine Print

Rowan hangs out with Ani at their usual spot inside Dreamland; Ani is obvious about her interest in Rowan and Zahra, asking him questions and telling him that Zahra smiles at him. When Rowan discovers, as Scott, that Zahra is staying late at work and has skipped dinner, he stops by the Creators warehouse under the pretense of trying to find someone to give their advice on an idea to get rid of the oldest ride in the park. While it’s clear that Zahra could talk about the ride for hours, her rumbling stomach gives him the opening to offer dinner. He orders Chinese food, and they spend a long time discussing the ride’s history. Rowan realizes that he wants more moments like this with Zahra, but he does not know how to admit that he is also Scott.

Ani sets up pumpkin carving for the buddies program but only buys two pumpkins, using flimsy lies about why. She pairs off with JP so that Zahra has to work with Rowan. He asks Zahra about her pins, but she refuses to tell him about them, indicating that it is a sensitive subject. He reveals that he looked up pumpkin carving techniques and that Ani told him beforehand that he would be paired with Zahra. This admission makes Zahra realize that he wants to spend time with her. They enjoy one another’s company as they carve the pumpkins.

Through his conversations with Zahra as Scott, Rowan learns about how some employees struggle with the low wages at Dreamland. His anxiety builds as he considers the real implications of the policies he put in place, and the anxiety is worsened when he discovers that an employee named Martha, who has an injured ankle, must hold a second job as a bartender so that she can pay for her husband’s heart medication; the Dreamland insurance only provides a tiny copay. Feeling a growing sense of guilt, Rowan gives Martha the temporary solution of an early Christmas bonus and goes to the Creators’ warehouse to find Zahra. Jenny, her boss, informs him that Zahra is using one of her unpaid days off to do research in the park, trying to see the park from the point of view of a guest. Rowan tells Jenny that all the Creators can use a paid day off for similar research and then texts Zahra from his own number to find out where she is.

Rowan meets Zahra in line for the Spooky Castle ride, cutting in front of others and then telling them who he is when they complain. He learns from Zahra that the speed line tickets are far too expensive for most, but he exhibits a heavy dose of impatience at waiting in line with her, despite having sought her out. They board the ride together; Rowan has not been on it since he was 10, and his startled reactions at several moments delight Zahra. She goes to purchase the picture of them on the ride, but he pays for it.

Rowan insists on following Zahra through the park, refusing to explain why he seems to hate the park itself. He admits that he is following her because he finds her interesting. He seems enthralled by her joyous screams on the next ride, and when she tells him that she would ride it over and over if she could, he instructs the operators to let them go again, and she sees a lightening in his demeanor around her.

When Rowan buys them both hot chocolate, Zahra expresses her guilt at their dietary indulgences that day, and she admits that her ex-boyfriend told her she was “fat.” Rowan tells her that she is incredibly attractive and begins flirting with her just as a park countdown begins near the Christmas village. Some children run past and bump Zahra, unbalancing her. Rowan kisses her after steadying her, but when they break apart and he asks her out on a date, she refuses, saying that he is not the type of person she should be dating. Her rejection triggers his insecurities, and he speaks rudely in response, reminding himself of Mr. Darcy’s rudeness in Pride and Prejudice, one of Zahra’s favorite movies. Zahra leaves, but not before describing him in ways that remind him of his father, and Rowan resolves that he will be a better person. He texts her and asks her to go to his office for a meeting the next day, and she sends a brief acknowledgment. Rowan decides that he will tell her about Scott.

Rowan admits to Zahra that he is Scott. He tries to explain, but after having been betrayed by her ex-boyfriend, Zahra is unwilling to forgive the months of lies. She sees that her words hurt him, but she insists that all he deserves from her is a courtesy greeting in the halls. She tells Claire when she gets home from work and berates herself for trusting Rowan and Scott in the first place.

After Zahra coldly rejects Rowan’s attempt to win her back with a food-based peace offering, Rowan seeks Ani’s advice. Ani suggests that he find a way to win Zahra’s trust again to prove that he is not like Lance, her ex-boyfriend. When he approaches Zahra again, he finds her filling in a resignation form and tears it up. Then, seeing an opportunity to explain himself, he offers to leave her alone and let her quit if she gives him one real chance to prove to her that he is truly sorry. When she agrees, he tells her to meet him that night.

Zahra meets Rowan at his home, which used to be his grandfather’s. As they eat and talk, Rowan shares why he is as mistrustful as he is, telling her about his father’s past abuses. Zahra begins to understand and pity him, seeing why he lied to her. She finally realizes that, although he is genuinely fond of her, he struggles with his feelings. She also shares that Lance stole her ideas and used the money from Nebula Land to buy an engagement ring for the woman with whom he was having an affair at the time. She admits that she is not sure how to trust Rowan’s words, and he promises to show her that he is truly sorry and swears that he will never lie again.

As the relationship between the two accelerates, Rowan tries to make their sexual encounter about Zahra, but she pushes for sex rather than a focus only on her pleasure. He warns her that he can only give her a casual relationship, and she accepts that. Rowan realizes that he wants to spend as much time with her as possible.