“If she’s uncomfortable, she can stand.” He gave me a slow, mean smile. “Give her your seat if you care so much.”
Beside him, the elderly woman gripped her cane and began pushing herself up.
Her knuckles were white.
“No,” I said, more sharply than I meant to. “Please stay. You sit right there.”
She hesitated, then sank back down.
He leaned back and spread his knees even wider.
“What are you going to do? Make me close my legs?”
My face was hot. I’d told her to stay, and now she was looking at me.
I couldn’t make him move, but I couldn’t ask her to get up after that.
Then the train jolted to a stop, and the doors slid open.
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