Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

Last-minute plans

Chapter 8: Last-Minute Plans

The soft hum of the studio settled into silence as the song’s rough draft was laid aside, leaving the room feeling heavier than before. Y/N leaned back in her chair, exhausted but somewhat lighter after talking with Billie and Finneas. There was still so much swirling inside her, but maybe she wasn’t as alone in her thoughts as she had feared.

Just as she was about to gather her things, her phone buzzed on the desk, flashing with a message from her agent, Emma.

Hey, Y/N. I hope you’re doing okay. I know it’s last minute, but there’s an interview scheduled with you, Billie, and Finneas later today. It’s part of that promo you agreed to a while back. I’m really sorry for the short notice, but they’re expecting you all to be ready by 3 p.m. Can you make it?

Y/N stared at the message, feeling a tight knot form in her stomach. An interview? Today? She wasn’t prepared for that. She wasn’t sure she was prepared for anything right now, especially not sitting in front of cameras and answering questions about her music and her family.

“Who’s that?” Billie asked, noticing Y/N’s change in expression.

“It’s Emma,” Y/N muttered, her thumb hovering over the screen as she read the message again. “She says we have an interview today. All three of us.”

Finneas raised an eyebrow. “An interview? I don’t remember anything being scheduled.”

“Me neither,” Y/N admitted, feeling her pulse quicken. “She says it’s part of some promo stuff I agreed to a while ago. I guess I just… forgot.”

Billie sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Ugh, those things always sneak up on us. I hate the last-minute ones.”

Y/N glanced up at her siblings, her anxiety growing. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Billie frowned. “Do what?”

“The interview,” Y/N said quietly. “I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about everything. Especially… especially after how I’ve been feeling lately.”

Finneas leaned forward, his voice calm and reassuring. “It’s okay to feel nervous, Y/N. But you don’t have to go through this alone. We’ll be there with you the whole time.”

Y/N bit her lip, feeling torn. On one hand, she didn’t want to let anyone down—not her agent, not her siblings, not herself. But on the other hand, the idea of facing questions about her music and career, of being scrutinized by the public again, felt overwhelming.

“I just… I don’t know what they’re going to ask,” Y/N murmured, her fingers fidgeting nervously. “What if they ask about the new music? Or why I’ve been quiet lately?”

Billie and Finneas exchanged a glance, both understanding the weight of Y/N’s concerns. They knew she wasn’t in the best headspace, and putting her in the spotlight when she was feeling so vulnerable wasn’t ideal.

Billie stood up and crossed the room to sit beside Y/N, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Look, if they ask anything you’re not comfortable with, we’ve got your back. You don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to. And if it gets too much, we’ll step in. Right, Finneas?”

Finneas nodded. “Absolutely. We’re a team. You don’t have to face any of this alone.”

Y/N felt a pang of guilt. Her siblings were always so supportive, always ready to protect her, and here she was, dragging them into another media circus that she wasn’t even sure she wanted to be a part of.

“I’m sorry,” she said suddenly, her voice small.

Billie frowned. “For what?”

“For all of this,” Y/N gestured vaguely. “For making everything harder for you guys. You already have so much going on, and now you have to deal with me falling apart on top of it.”

Finneas shook his head, his tone firm but gentle. “Y/N, you don’t have to apologize for anything. You’re not making things harder. We’re family, and we take care of each other. That’s how it works.”

Billie squeezed Y/N’s shoulder. “Yeah, and you’re not ‘falling apart.’ You’re just going through a rough patch, and that’s okay. We’ve all been there. Trust me.”

Y/N blinked, her eyes stinging slightly at their words. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “I just don’t want to mess up.”

“You won’t,” Billie said confidently. “And like I said, if it gets too much, we’ll handle it. It’s just an interview. It doesn’t define who you are or what you can do.”

Y/N nodded, feeling a little more reassured, but the lingering anxiety remained. She typed a quick reply to Emma, agreeing to the interview, though her hands trembled slightly as she hit send.

I’ll be there.

“Alright,” Finneas said, standing up. “We’ve got a few hours before we have to head over. Why don’t we take it easy until then? No pressure, no stress. Just chill.”

Billie smiled. “Yeah, maybe we can do a quick rehearsal or something light. Nothing too serious.”

Y/N managed a small smile, grateful for their understanding. “Okay.”

As they moved out of the studio and back into the house, Y/N couldn’t help but feel the familiar nerves creeping back in. The idea of facing the public, the questions, and the comments that would inevitably follow still terrified her. But knowing Billie and Finneas would be right there beside her made it just a little easier to breathe.

And for now, that was enough.