Hearts of trouble (under development)

A family tie hurricane

The weekend was supposed to be quiet for Lily. She'd planned on spending it reading, maybe catching up on some homework. But as soon as she stepped into her house that afternoon, she could sense the tension thickening the air. Her mom and dad were in the kitchen, voices raised, words cutting through the air with a sharpness that made her stomach twist.

Lily froze, clutching her backpack, trying to slip upstairs without being noticed. But her mom's voice, thick with frustration and something else-maybe exhaustion-reached her.

"I'm doing everything I can, Marcus! Maybe if you were around more, you'd see that!"

"Oh, so it's my fault now?" her dad snapped, his voice edged with anger. "I'm working to keep this family together, to give you the life you keep demanding."

"Working? You're hiding! Hiding at that job so you don't have to see what's happening here!"

Lily took a deep breath, her heart pounding as their voices escalated, words spilling out like broken glass. She'd heard these arguments before, but somehow, it always felt worse each time. The more they fought, the more she felt like her family was breaking apart piece by piece.

She took the stairs two at a time, retreating to her room and shutting the door behind her. She threw herself onto her bed, pressing a pillow over her ears to muffle the shouting from downstairs. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't block it out completely.

After a few minutes, her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see a message from Shawn.

Shawn: Hey, you okay? Haven't heard from you all day.

Lily's fingers hovered over the screen, part of her wanting to keep it all in, to avoid dragging him into her family's mess. But another part of her, the part that trusted him more than anyone else, needed him right now.

Lily: Not really. My parents... they're fighting. Again. It's bad this time.

A moment later, her phone buzzed again.

Shawn: Want to get out of there? I can meet you at the park.

She hesitated for a moment, glancing at her door and listening to the voices still echoing downstairs. Finally, she grabbed her jacket, texting him back.

Lily: Yeah, I'll be there in 10.

At the Park

When Lily arrived, Shawn was already waiting on their usual bench, looking up as she approached. She could tell from his expression that he was worried, but he didn't push her to talk right away. Instead, he just moved over, giving her space to sit beside him.

For a while, they sat in silence, the cool evening air wrapping around them. Finally, Lily took a deep breath, her words spilling out.

"It's always like this," she whispered, her voice barely holding steady. "They argue, then they act like everything's fine. But it's not. It's like... they're breaking apart in front of me, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Shawn listened, his gaze fixed on her as she spoke. He reached out, taking her hand, his touch grounding her.

"I know it feels like that," he said softly. "Like you're just caught in the middle of something you can't control. But it's not your fault, Lily. You don't have to carry their problems."

Lily squeezed his hand, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I just keep thinking... if I were better, if I were easier, maybe they'd be happy. Maybe they wouldn't be so miserable all the time."

Shawn's face softened, and he shook his head, wiping away the tear gently with his thumb. "Hey, listen to me. You're not the problem. They've got their own issues, their own stuff they need to figure out. And you deserve to be happy, too. You don't have to take this on by yourself."

His words wrapped around her like a safety net, pulling her back from the edge of self-blame. She leaned her head on his shoulder, letting the weight of his presence calm her.

"Thank you, Shawn," she whispered. "For being here. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He rested his head against hers, their hands still entwined. "You don't have to know, Lily. I'm here, no matter what."

In that moment, surrounded by the quiet of the park and Shawn's steady warmth, Lily realized that even though she couldn't fix her family, she had a choice. She could let their struggles define her-or she could find strength in the people who cared about her, the people who made her feel seen and valued.

As they sat there together, she knew that, with Shawn by her side, she could face whatever came next.

When Lily got back from the park, she felt a bit lighter, the weight of the fight lingering but less overwhelming. She was grateful for Shawn, for the way he just listened, never trying to fix things but always making her feel understood.

But as soon as she stepped into the house, her heart sank. Her mom's voice was raised again, and this time, another familiar voice joined her: Abigail, Lily's older half-sister. Abigail had moved out a couple of years ago, and though they still saw each other from time to time, it was rare for her to come by unannounced.

Standing by the doorway, Lily could see her mom and Abigail in the kitchen, voices strained and faces tense. Abigail's arms were crossed, her expression a mix of frustration and sadness, while their mom leaned against the counter, looking worn out.

"I'm just saying, Mom," Abigail was saying, her tone sharp but pained. "Lily deserves better than to be around all this... chaos. She shouldn't have to deal with the fights, with you and Dad constantly at each other's throats."

Their mom sighed, her hand pressed to her forehead. "Abby, you don't understand. It's not that simple. Your father and I... we're trying. But it's complicated."

"Complicated?" Abigail scoffed. "That's your excuse every time. I was Lily's age once, remember? I lived through it, and I know what it does to you. I just don't want her to go through the same thing I did."

Lily felt a twist in her stomach, the guilt creeping back. She hated hearing them talk about her like she was some problem that needed fixing, something caught in the crossfire.

"Abigail," her mom said, her voice strained, "we're doing the best we can. This family... it's not perfect, but we're trying to make it work. I don't expect you to understand."

Abigail shook her head, her voice lowering as she replied, "Mom, you say you're doing your best, but maybe it's time to look at the impact all this has on Lily. She's a kid. She deserves to feel safe here, and I don't know if she does."

At that moment, Lily couldn't hold back any longer. She took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen, forcing a casual tone. "Hey, Abby. Didn't know you'd be here."

Abigail turned, her expression softening when she saw her younger sister. "Hey, Lil. I just... wanted to check in on you. Make sure you're okay."

Lily shrugged, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I'm fine. I'm used to it, you know?"

Her mom's face fell, and Abigail gave her a sympathetic look, one that said more than words ever could. "Lily, you shouldn't have to be 'used to it.' You deserve more than that."

Lily shifted uncomfortably, feeling like she was caught between them. "Look, I appreciate you guys caring, but... I just want things to be normal, okay? I don't want to keep being the reason you're all fighting."

Her mom's expression softened, and she stepped closer. "Lily, you're not the reason. This is between your father and me. It has nothing to do with you."

Abigail reached over, pulling Lily into a hug. "If you ever need to get away, you can always come stay with me, okay? My door's always open for you."

Lily hugged her back tightly, grateful for the offer. "Thanks, Abby. I just... I wish things didn't have to be like this."

They stayed like that for a moment, a rare sense of unity in the fractured family. Finally, Abigail pulled away, giving her a reassuring smile. "Remember what I said. You don't have to go through this alone."

Lily nodded, feeling a flicker of hope. She still had a lot to figure out, but knowing she had both Abigail and Shawn looking out for her made her feel a little less lost.