Page 4 of Our Bodies, Our Choice

“No.”

“No?” She mirrors me, arching her left eyebrow.

“Yeah, you heard me.”

Nora snorts, her tongue dancing over her bottom lip as she looks away from me for the briefest of seconds. “I’m not playing this game with you again.” She shakes her head. “You’re not coming and that’s final.”

“Final? What are you, my daddy?” Sky doesn’t respond to that, but her eyes tell me everything I need to know. She doesn’t want this argument, but I do. There’s no way I’m staying here while her and Paz do this alone.

“Why?” I cut her off, standing from the chair and stepping towards her.

“Because I said so.”

“That’s not a valid answer, Nora.”

“Well… that’s about all you’re going to get from me.”

“That’s bullshit!” I bark. “Why can’t I come? Just tell me.”

“No. Now drop it.” Turning away from me she makes her way towards the door. “Stay here, where you’re safe, where I can protect you. And when everything’s done, I’ll come and—”

I move faster than her, launching myself from my computer chair and placing my body in front of the steel door. “I’m not staying here.”

“Yes… you are,” she counters, resting her hands on my shoulders. As she tries to move me out of the way, I stand rigid. Refusing to do what she wants. “Sky.”

“Nora.” I cross my arms in front of my chest. There’s no way I’m staying here while she goes out to that building with her sister.

Groaning, Nora drops her head back with her hands resting on her hips. “Please, don’t fight me on this. I’ve thought long and hard about everything, and I don’t think that—”

Reaching up, I grab her by the chin, tugging her gaze back to me. “You can at least look at me when you’re about to lie.”

“Lie?”

Okay, not the best choice of words I could’ve used.

“Yes, lie.” I know she’s about to get pissed off. The vein in her forehead is already throbbing. “You want me to stay here because you don’t think I can do it. Not because you want to protect me.” I step forward, closing the space between us. “It’s because you think I’m weak, isn’t it.”

“What? No. That’s not it at all. It’s because I—”

“Oh, don’t bullshit me, Nora. Just fucking say it. You don’t think I have the capacity to murder someone. That’s it, isn’t it.”

“Sky—”

“Just fucking say it!” I shout. “Tell me to my face. At least have the dignity and respect to tell me the truth. Then I’ll know how you really feel about me!” I egg her on.

“What?”

“That you think I’m weak. That I can’t do what you and Paz are about to. That—”

“Is that what you think!?” she barks, laughing through the words in utter disbelief.

“Yes!”

“That’s ridiculous, and you fucking know it. I’ve never once called you weak, Sky, and you insinuating that I believe you to be is insulting.”

“If that’s not it” —I raise my arms to the sides and drop them, my palms slapping against my bare thighs— “then what is it, because I sure as shit don’t have any fucking idea as to why you would want to keep me locked away like Rapunzel while you go off and—”

“Sky, stop.” She presses both her hands together as though she’s praying. “I’m begging you.”