Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

Bad morning

Chapter 63: Bad morning

The next morning, the warmth and comfort of the previous night had all but disappeared. Y/N woke up feeling the weight of the world pressing down on her chest. It wasn’t like the peaceful slumber she had fallen into the night before, wrapped in her siblings' love. No, this morning was heavy. Dark. The kind of day where every thought felt overwhelming, and even getting out of bed seemed like an impossible task.

She stared up at the ceiling, feeling a familiar tightness in her chest. Her mind was racing, filled with doubts, insecurities, and the ever-present feeling of being trapped. Trapped by fame. By expectations. By the constant judgment of strangers who didn't know her but felt like they had every right to comment on her life, her body, her choices.

"Y/N? You up?" Billie’s soft voice called from outside the door, breaking the silence.

Y/N didn’t respond. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to face anyone. But after a few moments, the door creaked open, and Billie stepped inside, worry etched across her face. She immediately saw the look in Y/N’s eyes, the kind of emptiness that had become all too familiar.

"Hey..." Billie said gently, walking over and sitting on the edge of Y/N’s bed. "What’s going on? You okay?"

Y/N just shook her head, still staring up at the ceiling. She could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, but she didn’t want to cry. Not again. Not today.

Billie didn’t push. She just sat there quietly for a moment, watching her little sister struggle in silence.

After a few minutes, Finneas appeared in the doorway, instantly sensing the mood in the room. His usual playful grin was replaced with concern as he walked over to sit on the other side of Y/N’s bed.

"Rough morning, huh?" he asked softly.

Y/N didn’t say anything, but her silence spoke volumes. The heaviness in the air was undeniable, and it settled over the three of them like a thick fog.

Billie sighed, glancing over at Finneas. They both knew this wasn’t something that could be fixed with a joke or a movie night. Some days, the weight of it all was too much for Y/N to carry, and today was one of those days.

"Do you want to get up?" Billie asked softly, knowing the answer before she even asked. "Or do you want to just... stay here for a bit?"

Y/N finally looked at Billie, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. "I don’t know," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Billie’s heart broke a little at that response. She hated seeing Y/N like this—so lost, so overwhelmed by things she shouldn’t have to carry at sixteen.

"It’s okay," Billie whispered, brushing a few stray strands of hair out of Y/N’s face. "You don’t have to decide right now. We’re not going anywhere."

Finneas reached over and gently took Y/N’s hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "We’ve got you, Y/N. However long you need."

They sat like that for a while, just the three of them in the quiet room. No one felt the need to fill the silence with meaningless words. They just stayed there, present with Y/N, letting her know she wasn’t alone.

Eventually, Y/N shifted under the blankets, sitting up slowly but keeping her eyes downcast. "I feel... like I’m drowning," she finally said, her voice shaky. "Like... I can’t breathe sometimes."

Billie and Finneas exchanged a look, both of them struggling to keep their emotions in check. They had known Y/N was hurting, but hearing her admit it out loud made it all the more real.

Finneas moved a little closer, wrapping his arm around Y/N’s shoulders. "We’re going to help you get through this," he promised quietly. "You don’t have to do it alone."

Y/N nodded, but she didn’t feel convinced. It was hard to believe anything would ever get better when her mind was clouded with such darkness.

Billie shifted on the bed, reaching for Y/N’s other hand. "You’re strong, Y/N. Even if you don’t feel like it right now, you are. And we’re going to be right here with you, every step of the way."

Y/N squeezed her sister’s hand, grateful for their support but still feeling the weight of everything pressing down on her.

"I don’t know how to fix it," Y/N admitted softly. "I don’t even know where to start."

"You don’t have to figure it all out today," Billie reassured her. "We’ll take it one day at a time. Just... be kind to yourself, okay? We’ll be kind to you too."

Y/N nodded again, though the tears she had been holding back finally started to fall. She buried her face in her hands, overwhelmed by everything—by the sadness, the fear, the love from her siblings. It was all too much.

Finneas gently pulled Y/N into his arms, holding her close as she cried. "We’ve got you," he murmured, his voice soft and soothing. "We’re right here."

As Y/N sobbed into her brother’s chest, Billie leaned in, wrapping her arms around both of them. They stayed like that for a long time, huddled together on the bed, letting Y/N cry out all the pain she had been holding inside for so long.

By the time Y/N’s tears slowed, the exhaustion had taken over. She didn’t have the energy to do much else but stay curled up between her siblings, their presence the only thing keeping her from feeling completely lost.

"We’re not going anywhere," Billie repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

And for the first time that day, Y/N believed her.