Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

A fragile choice

Chapter 70: A Fragile Choice

Y/N’s voice cut through the eerie silence of the abandoned building, startling Billie and Finneas as they crept through the shadows.

“You guys are terrible at sneaking,” she said, her voice low but steady. “This place echoes like crazy. I knew you were following me the whole time.”

Billie and Finneas froze, exchanging a glance of worry and guilt. They hadn’t wanted to spy on her, but they had been left with no choice. They stepped forward, revealing themselves, but staying cautious.

“We’re just worried about you, Y/N,” Billie said gently, trying to gauge her sister’s emotional state.

Y/N didn’t look at them right away. She was focused on the small item she had pulled from her hoodie pocket—a bag containing a spliff. She held it loosely in her hands, turning it over, her expression unreadable.

“This helped before,” she said softly, almost to herself. “Last time, it was by accident. I didn’t even know what I was doing. But if I do this now… it’s my choice.”

Finneas’s heart sank as he took in the sight of his sister, who had always been the baby of the family, now holding something so dangerous and destructive in her hands. Billie’s face mirrored his emotions, her eyes wide with both fear and sadness.

“Y/N…” Billie started, taking a hesitant step toward her. “You don’t have to do this.”

Y/N let out a shaky breath, her eyes still glued to the spliff. “I don’t know what else to do,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “Everything feels so heavy. I just want it to stop for a little while. This helped before, but it wasn’t on purpose… Now, it’s different. Now, it’s my decision.”

The air between them was thick with tension, the weight of Y/N’s words pressing down on them. Finneas stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in as he knelt down in front of her.

“Y/N, just because it feels like an option doesn’t mean it’s the right one,” Finneas said softly, his voice filled with concern. “It won’t fix anything. You’re hurting, and I get that. But this… this isn’t going to take the pain away. Not really.”

Y/N finally looked up at her brother, her eyes filled with an overwhelming sadness. “What else is there, Finneas? Every time I try to do something right, I get crushed. Everything feels out of control. At least this is something I can control.”

Billie knelt beside Finneas, her voice trembling as she spoke. “You don’t need this, Y/N. You have us. We’ll help you through this. I know it’s hard, but you’re not alone.”

Y/N stared at the spliff again, her grip tightening on it. For a moment, it seemed like she was going to light it, her hand hovering near her pocket. But then, her shoulders slumped, and she dropped it to the floor, staring at it as though it had suddenly lost all meaning.

“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know who I am.”

Finneas reached out, gently taking her hand in his. “You’re Y/N. You’re our little sister. And we love you, no matter what. We’ll figure this out together.”

Y/N’s tears spilled over as she fell into Finneas’s arms, her body shaking with quiet sobs. Billie wrapped her arms around both of them, pulling Y/N into a protective embrace.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Billie whispered, her voice firm. “You don’t have to face any of this alone.”

For a while, they sat in silence, the weight of the moment hanging heavy in the air. Y/N didn’t move, her body nestled between her siblings as if she was trying to shield herself from the storm raging inside her. She felt small and broken, but with them beside her, she wasn’t completely lost.

The spliff lay forgotten on the floor, a symbol of the escape she had almost chosen but didn’t.

It was her choice, but she chose her family instead.