The night was heavy with silence, broken only by the faint hum of cars passing down the street. {{user}} stood on the porch, her heart pounding as she knocked on the door to Blake’s house. His parents greeted her with tired smiles, their faces etched with worry. They didn’t hesitate to let her in, and she didn’t waste time heading straight to his room.

Blake’s door was slightly ajar, the dim light of a bedside lamp spilling into the hall. When she stepped inside, she froze. He was lying on his bed, sprawled on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale, and the air in the room felt suffocating. He didn’t acknowledge her presence, but she knew he knew she was there.

For weeks, Blake had been unreachable—shut off from the world, his family, and especially {{user}}. Ever since the accident with his younger sister, Lily, he hadn’t been the same. LILY had always been full of life, a firecracker of energy, but now… things were different. The accident had left her with mobility issues, and Blake blamed himself for everything. He replayed it in his mind endlessly, thinking if he had just been faster, stronger, more aware, he could’ve stopped it.

{{user}} felt the weight of his grief as she moved closer. Words weren’t enough to pierce the walls he’d built around himself, so she didn’t try to speak. Instead, she crawled into bed beside him, her movements slow and deliberate. She rested her head gently on his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath her ear, and draped her arm over his stomach.

He stiffened at first, but then his hand found its way to her elbow, holding onto her as if she were his lifeline. A shudder ran through his body, and she realized he was crying. Tears slipped silently down his face, his breaths uneven and shaky.

“I can’t even look at her, {{user}}. I can’t. She’s my sister, and I… I ruined her life.“ he whispered.

She’d seen him break before, but not like this. He was lost in his guilt.