Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

not you

Chapter 11: Not you

As soon as the interview wrapped up, the three of them headed for the exit. The moment they stepped outside, the chaos of flashing cameras and screaming fans hit them like a wave. Y/N squinted against the bright lights of the paparazzi, her hoodie doing little to shield her from the overwhelming noise. The crowd was even bigger than before, packed with fans holding signs and screaming Billie and Finneas’s names.

Billie turned to Y/N with a soft smile. “You did amazing in there. Just hang tight, okay? We’ll get through this.”

Y/N nodded, offering a small smile in return. She stuck close to Billie’s side as they made their way through the throng of people. She could feel the eyes on them—on her—but there was something about being next to her siblings that made it easier to keep her head down and move forward.

“Billie! Over here!” a fan shouted, holding up a phone. Billie glanced at Y/N before turning to acknowledge the fan.

“Can we get a picture, Billie? Please?”

Billie smiled, stepping toward the barricade. “Of course! Just give me a second.”

Y/N hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to stay by Billie’s side or step away. She wanted to blend into the background, but at the same time, there was something comforting about being near her. Before she could decide, a few more fans called out, and Billie waved Y/N to follow her over to the barricade.

Y/N followed quietly, standing just behind Billie as she chatted with a group of fans. One of them, a girl with dyed green hair and a neon jacket, beamed up at Billie with excitement.

“Can we get a picture?” the girl asked, holding her phone out.

Billie nodded. “Of course!”

The fan glanced over at Y/N for a brief second, then turned back to Billie. “Oh, um… just with you, though.”

The words stung, even though Y/N had expected them. She wasn’t Billie, she wasn’t Finneas—she was just the younger sister in the background. And though she tried to brush it off, the casual way the fan had dismissed her left her feeling even smaller than before.

Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “It’s fine. I’ll… I’ll just head back to the car.”

Billie turned to her, frowning slightly. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” Y/N forced a smile, tugging her hoodie a little tighter around herself. “I’ll be fine.”

Billie hesitated for a moment, her eyes flicking between Y/N and the fans. “Okay. I’ll be right there.”

Y/N nodded again, backing away from the barricade as Billie leaned in for the photo. She moved quickly through the crowd, ducking her head to avoid the flashes of the paparazzi, and made her way back to the car.

As she opened the door and slipped inside, the quiet of the vehicle was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. Y/N let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly as she stared out the window. The sound of the crowd was muffled now, distant, but it didn’t stop the heavy weight that settled in her chest.

It was always like this. She had hoped—really hoped—that today might be different, that maybe she’d start to feel like she belonged in the spotlight beside Billie and Finneas. But every time she tried, every time she stepped forward, it became clear that the world saw her as nothing more than an afterthought.

She watched as Billie laughed with the fans, taking more photos, her energy contagious even from a distance. Finneas was further down the barricade, chatting with a few fans of his own, completely at ease in the public eye. They were naturals at this, and Y/N admired them for it.

But she wasn’t them. No matter how hard she tried, she never felt like she fit in.

Y/N pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them as she stared out at the crowd. She wanted to be happy for Billie and Finneas—she was happy for them—but there was always that tiny voice in the back of her mind reminding her that she didn’t belong.

The door to the car opened suddenly, and Billie slipped inside, followed by Finneas.

“Sorry about that,” Billie said, breathing out as she settled into the seat next to Y/N. “That crowd was wild.”

Finneas climbed into the front, glancing back at Y/N through the rearview mirror. “You okay?”

Y/N forced another smile, nodding. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… tired.”

Billie’s eyes softened, and she reached out to gently squeeze Y/N’s arm. “You don’t have to do this, you know. Not if it’s making you feel like this.”

Y/N shook her head. “I want to… I just—sometimes it’s hard.”

Billie didn’t push. She just nodded, understanding etched in her expression. “It’s okay to take things at your own pace. No rush.”

The car started moving, pulling away from the crowd as the noise outside gradually faded. Y/N leaned her head against the window, her mind swirling with thoughts and doubts. She was trying—really trying—but no matter how hard she pushed herself, it always felt like the world wanted her to be something else.

As they drove through the city, Y/N closed her eyes, wishing she could find a way to silence the voices in her head telling her she wasn’t enough.