The Bonds We Keep

Breaking Point

Third Person point of view

Estella lay in her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. The constant beeping of the machines around her felt like a reminder of everything she was trying to ignore. Her mind raced with questions that seemed impossible to answer, and the weight of betrayal from her parents loomed heavily in her heart.

She could hear her brothers and parents talking quietly in the corner, their voices a low murmur that felt far away. It was as if they were in another world, one where everything was fine and she didn't have to face the hard truth of their decisions. She wanted to scream, to tell them how betrayed she felt, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Ella, you okay?" Ethan's voice broke through her thoughts, concern evident in his tone. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, his eyes searching hers for a sign that she was fine. "Yeah, just tired," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. But she knew that wasn't the whole truth. She felt emotionally drained, like a balloon that had lost all its air. "Maybe you should rest a bit," Milo suggested from the doorway, leaning against the frame. He had been trying to keep things light, but she could see the worry etched on his face. "We can come back later."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Jasper chimed in, his eyes darting between her and the rest of the family. "Just take it easy, El. We'll be right here."But as they spoke, Estella felt an overwhelming wave of frustration wash over her. She didn't want to be coddled or treated like she couldn't handle her emotions. They were talking as if everything was normal, and yet here she was, feeling like the world had crumbled around her. "What if I don't want you here?" she snapped, surprising herself. The sharpness in her tone hung in the air like a sudden storm.

Her mother flinched, and Estella instantly regretted her outburst. "Ella, we just want to help you," Mom said softly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "You don't have to—""I just need some space!" Estella interrupted, her voice trembling as she fought against the swell of emotions rising within her. "Can't you see that?"

Her father stepped forward, concern written all over his face. "Ella, we're here for you. We want to support you, but if you need some time alone—""Please, just go home for a little while!" She didn't mean to raise her voice, but the words burst forth in desperation. "I can't think with everyone here. I just need to be by myself."

Luca, who had been standing quietly beside the window, exchanged glances with their parents. "We'll be right down the hall, El. Just call us if you need anything," he said, trying to reassure her. But it only made her feel worse, like she was pushing them away while they tried to pull her in."Why does it feel like you all knew?" she asked suddenly, her heart racing. "Did you know about the trial before? Did you all just let me think I had a choice?"

There was a moment of silence, and she could see the guilt flash across their faces. Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Milo finally broke the silence, his tone cautious. "Ella, we didn't mean to trick you. We just thought... we thought it was what you wanted."

"What I wanted?" She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "How would you know? You never asked me!"

"Maybe we didn't think we needed to," Milo said quietly, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "You've always been so brave, and we thought you'd want to fight this.""But it's not my fight anymore, is it?" she retorted, feeling the anger bubble up again. "It's your decision, and I'm the one stuck in the middle of it!"

"I don't think it's like that," Atlas chimed in, stepping forward. "We just wanted to support you, Ella. We thought the trial could be a good option.""Yeah, we all care about you," Beckett added gently, his eyes softening. "We want what's best for you."

"But what if I don't want this?" she pressed, feeling her heart race. "What if I wanted to say no, but you all just decided for me?"Her parents exchanged glances again, and the silence stretched uncomfortably. She could feel their hesitation, the weight of unspoken truths hanging in the air. "Ella, we didn't want to burden you with the choice," her mother finally said, her voice breaking. "We thought it would be easier for you if we just—"

"Easier?" Estella echoed incredulously. "Easier for you, maybe! Because you didn't have to face the reality of what I'm going through.""You think this is easy for us?" her father asked, his voice rising in frustration. "We're terrified for you! We want to protect you, and sometimes that means making hard choices.""Hard choices?" Estella felt her chest tighten, the overwhelming emotions making it hard to breathe. "You think I want to be here, sick and struggling? You think I want this feeding tube? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to talk or laugh with it?"

Her voice cracked, and she looked away, not wanting them to see how much their words affected her. She felt trapped, caught between wanting to be strong and the reality of feeling weak.

"I can't stand it," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I feel so lost and betrayed, and I don't know how to deal with all of this.""I'm sorry, Ella," Ethan said quietly, tears pooling in his eyes. "We never meant for it to feel like this."

"I just feel so conflicted," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want to believe this trial will help me, but what if it doesn't? What if I'm just suffering for no reason? What if I said no when you tricked me? Would you all still be here?""We'll always be here, no matter what," Jasper said firmly, stepping closer to her bedside. "But you have to give yourself a chance. Maybe it will get worse before it gets better, but you're strong, Ella. You've fought through so much already."

"But what if I don't want to fight anymore?" she whispered, feeling the tears finally spill over. "What if I'm tired of all of this?"Her brothers and parents fell silent, each of them processing her words. Luca stepped forward, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to fight alone. We're here to carry some of that weight for you, Ella. You can lean on us, let us help you through this."Estella shook her head, overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. "I just don't know what to do," she admitted, feeling the heaviness of it all pressing down on her."We'll figure it out together," her mom said softly, brushing a tear away from Estella's cheek. "Just take it one day at a time. We're in this together."

But even as her family surrounded her, offering their love and support, Estella felt the weight of the decisions made in her absence. The frustration, the confusion, and the lingering sense of betrayal simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over."I need time," she finally said, her voice shaky but resolute. "I need some space to think. Please, just give me that."

Her family exchanged glances again, and finally, her father nodded. "Okay, Ella. We'll give you some time. But don't hesitate to call us if you need anything."With heavy hearts, her family filed out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. As the door clicked shut, she felt the weight of the silence envelop her, the stillness both comforting and terrifying. She was alone now, and with that solitude came the freedom to think. But even in that freedom, she felt lost, adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

Estella took a deep breath, feeling the sting of tears still on her cheeks. She wished for clarity, for answers that didn't feel so tangled. But for now, all she could do was sit with her emotions, wrestling with the hurt and the confusion that swirled within her. 

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Word Count:1,362