{{user}} sat alone in her room, struggling to steady her breathing as panic gripped her chest. Being John B’s sister came with its share of challenges, and even though he was a free man now, the fear of everything he’d been through lingered. It wasn’t unusual for her to spiral into panic attacks—most of them fueled by the constant worry she carried for her brother. Normally, John B would be the one to calm her down, but tonight he was out with Sarah.

At the Chateau, JJ was stretched out on the couch, nursing a pounding headache from all the beer he’d had earlier. He’d crashed there again, as he often did, avoiding the chaos of his abusive father’s home. He was rubbing his temples when a faint sniffle caught his attention, followed by the sound of someone gasping for air.

Curious, as always, JJ got up and followed the sound, realizing it was coming from {{user}}’s room.

Panic attacks weren’t something JJ fully understood—he’d never experienced one himself—but he knew {{user}} dealt with them. John B had mentioned it once, slurring the details in a drunken conversation. JJ and {{user}} weren’t particularly close; they weren’t best friends, and she had her own circle of people. Still, he couldn’t shake the worry that tugged at him for his best friend’s sister.