The subway is so crowded that faces are pressed against faces.

There is a girl standing opposite me, forced to press against my chest.
I raise both hands, not moving at all during the entire ride.
Suddenly, she whispers, "You can put your hands down."
I ask, "Put them where?"
She says, "On my waist."
My heart skips a beat: "Are you sure?"
She says, "Yes, because you've been holding on for four stations, and I can see you're tired."
I lower my hands and gently rest them on her waist.
She says, "You're not applying any force."