Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

Online

Chapter 3: Online

Y/N lay on her bed, staring at her phone as the comments continued to flood in. She knew she shouldn’t look, that it would only make her feel worse, but she couldn’t stop herself. It was like watching a train wreck—horrifying, but impossible to look away from.

The worst ones always stood out the most:

"Y/N just looks like she doesn’t belong. She’s not like Billie."

"She’s only relevant because of her siblings. She’d be a nobody without them."

"She’s so quiet, probably thinks she’s better than everyone else."

"I’d love to see her in something more… revealing. She’s hiding something under all those clothes."

Her hand trembled as she scrolled. The more she read, the more her chest tightened, the more her heart sank. She hated it—the way they talked about her like she wasn’t a person. Like she was something to be analyzed, criticized, sexualized. Every comment felt like a punch to the gut, making her feel smaller and more broken with each one.

A knock on the door made her freeze. She quickly shut off her phone, wiping at her eyes as the door creaked open.

Finneas stood there, concern etched into his face. He’d always had a sixth sense when it came to her.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping inside without waiting for an answer. He must’ve noticed the puffy redness of her eyes, the way she quickly tucked her phone under her pillow.

"Yeah, I’m fine," Y/N said, her voice cracking, betraying the lie.

Finneas didn’t buy it. He sat down on the edge of her bed, his eyes scanning her face. "You’ve been reading them again, haven’t you?"

Y/N bit her lip, her silence confirming it.

Finneas let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. "Y/N… we’ve talked about this. You know what people are like online. They’re cruel, they’re thoughtless. It’s not real—it’s just noise."

"It doesn’t feel like noise," she muttered, looking away. "It feels real. It feels like everyone sees me as this… thing. Like I’m just Billie’s and your sister. Like I don’t even matter unless I’m with you two."

"You matter to us. To the people who actually know you."

"I know, but…" She hesitated, the words catching in her throat. "It’s hard. They say such awful things, and I just… I don’t know how to deal with it. I try to ignore it, but it’s always there. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to stay out of the spotlight, they find a way to pick me apart."

Finneas’s expression softened, and he scooted closer to her. "Y/N, you don’t deserve any of that. You’re more than just our sister, and anyone who doesn’t see that isn’t worth your time. You’re talented, kind, and you have so much to offer that no one else does."

Tears welled up in her eyes again, spilling over before she could stop them. "I don’t know how you and Billie do it. How you handle all of this without letting it tear you apart."

Finneas sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "It’s not easy. Trust me, we both struggle with it too. Billie has her days, and I’ve had my moments where it feels like it’s all too much. But the thing is, we’ve learned to lean on each other. We’ve built this support system, and you’re a part of that, Y/N. You don’t have to go through this alone."

Y/N rested her head against his shoulder, letting the tears fall freely now. "I just hate it, Finneas. I hate that people don’t see me for who I really am. I hate that they think I’m just here for attention, or that I’m only famous because of you and Billie."

"I know it feels like that sometimes," Finneas said gently. "But you are here because of your own talent. You make music with us because you’re just as creative, just as capable. Don’t let those people take that away from you."

Y/N sniffled, wiping her eyes. "It’s hard to believe that when all I see are comments telling me I’m worthless."

Finneas pulled away slightly, his expression serious. "Then maybe it’s time you stop looking."

She knew he was right, but it didn’t make it any easier. The pull of social media, of knowing what people were saying about her, was almost impossible to resist.

"I’ll try," she whispered, her voice small. "But it’s just… it’s everywhere. Even if I don’t look, people still tag me in things, and the edits, the comments… they’re always there."

Finneas nodded, his eyes soft with understanding. "I get it. But you have to protect yourself. You don’t owe anyone your mental health, Y/N. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. The only thing that matters is how you feel, and if this is hurting you, then it’s not worth it."

Y/N looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together anxiously. "I don’t want to let you and Billie down."

Finneas’s face softened even more, if that was possible. "You could never let us down. We love you. We just want you to be happy and healthy. If that means stepping back from all of this, then we’ll support you 100 percent."

For a moment, the weight on Y/N’s chest lifted slightly. The pressure, the constant feeling of not being enough, faded just a little with Finneas’s words.

She hugged him tightly, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Finneas. I don’t know what I’d do without you and Billie."

Finneas hugged her back, holding her tightly as if trying to take away some of the pain. "You don’t have to do this alone, Y/N. We’ve got your back, always."

As they sat in silence, Y/N felt a small sliver of hope. Maybe she couldn’t control what people said about her, but she didn’t have to let their words define her. Not when she had Finneas, Billie, and her music to remind her of who she really was.