the progress project [3]

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fiona

"what the hell are you doing here?" yuli asks, and fiona notices her shaking hands. she also notices the bump in her nose that she inherits from their father, even though her skin is lighter than his. she looks more hispanic like their mother, unlike fiona.

"i tracked down aunt eleanor and she showed me your room. i saw the nyu poster on your wall and took a wild guess... and here you are," she smiles.

"go home," she whispers, eyes glassy and filled to the brim with tears. "go home, and never come back."

fiona shakes her head, crossing her arms. she won't give up on her sister again. "talk to me, please. why didn't you tell me where you were going that night? i could've helped you, or you could have vented to me, or something."

"and if i had?" she laughs bitterly. "you wouldn't understand. you don't have to have your father tell you who you can and can't love. you don't have to have your father tell you that you're a sinner in the eyes of god. you don't get it because being straight is 'normal.'"

"you didn't have to go through it alone," fiona says.

"right now, that's all i want to be. alone," yuli replies. "so go, please. i can't do this."

"yuleysis—"

"go!" she screams. "go, go, go!"

fiona takes a step back, full of pain and regret for what she didn't do. she can't go back and change that, but she can try to do something. she pulls out a sticky note from her purse, writes down her phone number, and hands it to yuli. "just... think about it. i miss my sister."

"hey." christian strokes her cheek, bringing her back to reality. one of his hands is still touching her, the other holding a spoon for the chili he's stirring in the pot. "you did everything you could."

she sighs. "i know."