Bound By Sin

The Next Morning.

The morning sun streamed through Genevieve's window, casting soft light across her room. She lay tangled in her blankets, heart heavy with the events of the previous night. Slowly, she pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The reality of what had happened hit her like a wave, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed, feet touching the cool floor.

As she made her way downstairs, the house felt unusually quiet. The usual clatter of breakfast preparations was muted. When she reached the kitchen, she found her parents, Victoria and Nathaniel, sitting at the table, their faces drawn with concern.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Victoria said gently, looking up from her coffee. "How are you feeling?"

Genevieve shrugged, feeling the weight of her emotions. "I'm okay, I guess," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Nathaniel looked at her intently. "Did you see anything last night? Anything unusual?"

Genevieve hesitated, memories of the party flooding her mind. "I... I just remember dancing and laughing. Then it all went dark when Nicholas said... you know."

Victoria reached across the table, placing a hand on Genevieve's. "It's okay to talk about it. We're here for you."

Just then, Anastasia, Genevieve's little sister, stormed into the kitchen, her dark, wavy hair a wild mess. "What's all the fuss about?" she said, rolling her eyes as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"Anastasia, this is serious," Nathaniel said, his tone firm. "We're discussing what happened last night."

"Who cares?" Anastasia replied with a shrug, leaning against the counter. "People die. Get over it."

Genevieve shot her sister an incredulous look. "Anastasia, how can you say that? Someone lost their life!"

"Whatever," Anastasia said, her disinterest palpable. "It's not like it's the first time. People die every day."

"Anastasia, that's incredibly insensitive!" Victoria interjected, her voice rising slightly. "You need to understand that this is a big deal for everyone who knew her."

Anastasia rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah. But it's not like you guys are gonna lose sleep over it. Just get on with your lives."

"Enough," Nathaniel said, his voice cutting through the tension. "This isn't a joke. Have some respect."

Anastasia crossed her arms, a defiant look on her face, but she fell silent, the reprimand settling in.

Victoria turned back to Genevieve, her expression softening. "We just want to make sure you're okay. You can talk to us about anything."

"I know," Genevieve replied, her heart aching. "I just can't believe she's gone."

Nathaniel nodded sympathetically. "It's hard, especially when it happens so suddenly. Just remember, it's okay to feel upset."

Genevieve took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "I just wish I could have done something," she murmured.

"None of this is your fault, Genevieve," Victoria reassured her, giving her a gentle squeeze. "You were just having fun with your friends. Sometimes things happen that we can't control."

After a moment of silence, Nathaniel stood up. "How about we all go to the living room? Let's try to relax a bit, maybe watch something together."

Genevieve nodded, grateful for the distraction. She stood up, wiping away a few stray tears. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Anastasia trailed behind, a hint of rebellion still lingering in her demeanor, but she fell quiet as they moved to the living room. The four of them settled onto the couch, the weight of the previous night still heavy in the air, but at least for now, they were together.

As they switched on the TV, Genevieve glanced at her family, hoping that the warmth of their presence would help ease the ache in her heart. It was a start, and for now, that had to be enough.