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My sister steps past me into the room. She sits down on the corner of the bed, grinning.
“Hi, Darya,” Jennifer says softly.
“Darya is going to hang out here for a bit while I’m out,” I tell her. “I have to go to a meeting this afternoon. If you need anything you can just ask her.”
“You arranged for me to have a babysitter?” Jennifer asks, annoyed.
“No, I just want you to be safe.” I walk into the room and touch Jennifer’s face. “How are you feeling? Are you alright?”
She moves her head away from my hand. “I would be alright if you stopped hovering over me all the time and gave me some space.”
“You know I worry about you, little rabbit. I have to make sure you’re safe.”
She rolls her eyes and Darya watches us closely.
“Yes,” Jennifer says. “I know, you said so, and that’s why I’m not allowed to do anything at all.”
Darya stands as the tension in the room increases. “I’m going to go and make some tea. Jenn, do you want some?”
Jennifer looks at Darya for a moment and then her shoulders soften. “Yes, please. I would actually love some tea.”
“Great. I’ll be right back.”
Why is she so receptive to my sister but not to me?
My sister walks out of the room and I sit down on the bed.
“Little rabbit, you know I only have your best interest at heart.”
“Kiril, you can’t keep me here like this. I have a life. I want to live it. I have been here for months, and I haven’t been allowed to even go outside on my own.” She sighs in frustration.
“It’s too risky.”
“You keep telling me that. But all I’ve seen is this house. These walls. I am going crazy.”
“I’m sorry, little rabbit, but I can’t let you go.” I stand. “I’ll be back later this afternoon. My sister is going to stay for dinner.”
She nods.
When I walk out of the room, I find Darya standing in the hallway. She grabs my arm and pulls me towards the kitchen.
“What is going on, Kiril?” she asks. “She looks miserable.”
“When I’m gone, you have to watch her all the time, okay? She can’t go outside alone. I’m worried she will try and get away. I don’t want her in danger. The guards all know they have to watch her all the time, too. Just make sure you keep your eyes on her.”
Darya stares at my face while I speak. Her brow is knotted tightly, and her eyes are narrow.
“Kiril, you love her, don’t you?”
I jerk my head back in surprise.
“Uh—I—”
“I can see it all over your face.”
I feel my jaw muscles twitching. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. She doesn’t feel the same way.” I shrug.
“You can’t force her to love you. I’ve hardly been here for fifteen minutes and I can see how suffocated she feels. You can’t force yourself into someone’s heart like that. You need to give her the freedom to choose. If she can’t choose then she is not in control of it, and she will get more and more frustrated, and blame that on you.”
