Me Too

19

Sofia's key slid in the door and I waited for her. As she came in, juggling a bag, her purse, and a new set of papers, I came to help her.

"Hey, how was it?" I asked, taking the papers from her chest.

She was able to give me a quick kiss before she tripped to put down the heavy bag. "Hi. It was fine, hectic. I'm literally exhausted."

"Hectic? I can see that." I look at the top paper. They were her half of the legal forms to allow these kids to broadcast her words, image, and thereby binding her to her thoughts and opinions shared. She should have signed all of these before today, but I guess she didn't get around to it. Sofia can decide against signing these, and the kids can't post these until they have her signature- but they probably will anyway. At least there is some attempt for consent in this world.

"Who was it? Bridget?" Sofia muttered, "She was intolerable. My God! Her voice is still crawling under my skin."

"You were traumatized by a preteen, Sofia?" I mumble, setting the stack on the bed.

Sofia looked over her shoulder slowly until she turned her whole body to face me. She stepped towards me gently and her hand looped around my waist, still approaching. She smiled and leaned down to kiss my forehead. After she let go, I puckered for an actual kiss. "I love you," she said, breaking a smile.

"I love you too." I peck her again and she lets go of me. I pet her solid shoulder; I swore her arm might shatter if I gripped too hard. "Do you think we'll still be able to go out to dinner?"

She held out her hand for the documents, so I hand them to her admiring the claw marks on her wrists. "We'll see, I need to get these signed."

"I can help," I offer.

"Forge my signature? I dare you to." She giggled wearily. She's tired and I can't blame her, she took on a lot today considering how unwell she has been feeling. "Unfortunately, it's all legal stuff, babe. I'm sorry."

"You're going to consent to all of them, why waste two hours of your life doing it yourself?"

She ran her hand through her loose hair. "I might not. A few of them had some good questions, others didn't, and I don't really feel comfortable with them being released."

"They're going to do it anyway, you know that, right?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. She knows her signature at this point means absolutely nothing; she could say hell no and they'd still release it.

The love of my life sighed, "I really wish they had listened to me. Of the thirty kids I told to avoid the subject, they all ignored me and asked anyways."

"We can't stop people from doing things, babe."

She searched the room frantically. "I felt as if I couldn't breathe, I had to say something, and with Bridget, I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't lie anymore. I was caught completely off guard and I felt like if I didn't get it off my chest, I was going to pass out. I had to say something." She opened all of the night stand drawers, slamming them shut, groaningiin frustration. "I need a pen."

"You didn't give anything away, if that makes you feel any better. You did fine; you kept yourself composed, and I was actually very impressed. Don't worry about it. Nobody will figure it out, you were so vague you could be dating anyone." I get in her bag and hold out a stylus.

"Please don't jinx things, Dove." She sits down at the table, taking the pen from my finger tips. She refused to cross her legs, wouldn't allow herself to sit over straight; she curled over the papers like a hunch back.

I crouch next to her and press a kiss to her cheek, teetering on my bare toes. "I promise you'll be fine," I whisper.

"Okay." She began signing, unenthusiastically.