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It was a late afternoon when Ivy found herself standing in the backyard, staring out at the horizon. The sky had begun to fade into a soft purple, but it barely registered in her mind. It had been one of those days—one where the weight of everything pressing on her chest seemed too much to bear. The pain, the anxiety, the constant feeling of being lost—it had all come to a head that evening.
Ivy had just had a fight with the family. It had been a small thing—Brandon had said something that, to him, seemed harmless, but to Ivy, it felt like a sharp jab. Words that triggered everything she'd been hiding. In the heat of the moment, she stormed out of the house, needing to get away. She had to be alone, away from the concern, the love, and the weight of expectations. She just couldn't handle it anymore.
Now, standing there in the backyard, the cold air biting at her skin, Ivy felt completely disconnected. Her thoughts were too loud, too heavy. She had tried so hard to keep it together, to show the world that she was strong enough to handle everything. But lately, the walls she'd built around herself had started to crumble. It was too much.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from Brandon: "Where are you? Please come back."
She didn't respond.
"I don't wanna be here, I don't know what to do." The words slipped out quietly from her lips, more to herself than anyone else. She hated how fragile she sounded, how lost she felt. It was as if she couldn't recognize the person she had become. Who was she anymore? Where did she even belong?
Minutes passed before she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't want anyone to find her, not like this. But she didn't move, too exhausted to even walk away.
"Ivy?" It was Brandon's voice, soft, laced with worry. "Please, talk to me."
Ivy squeezed her eyes shut, taking in a shaky breath. She could feel him standing a few feet away from her, waiting for her to say something. But the words wouldn't come. Everything felt too raw. How could she explain how broken she felt? How could she even begin to put into words the suffocating weight of the thoughts swirling in her mind?
Brandon took a step closer, his voice softer now. "Ivy, you don't have to do this alone. You're not alone, okay?"
Her voice trembled as she turned to him. "You don't get it, Brandon. No one gets it. I don't even get it. I just... I don't know how to keep going."
Brandon's heart cracked at the sight of her—the girl who always tried to be strong, now standing in front of him broken. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out for hers. "Ivy, I get it more than you think. I can't pretend to know exactly what you're feeling, but I know what it's like to be lost. And you don't have to stay lost, okay? You don't have to be alone in this. You have us. You have me."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and for the first time in days, Ivy allowed herself to lean into her brother, her twin. "I don't know how to ask for help anymore... it just feels too much. It feels like everything is closing in on me."
Brandon wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "You don't have to ask. You don't have to carry this weight alone. We're here, Ivy. Mom, Dad, everyone—we're all here for you."
Ivy's sobs were quiet at first, but they grew louder as she clung to her twin. It was a mixture of relief and exhaustion—finally letting go after holding everything in for so long. It felt like a moment of release, but the fear still lingered in her chest.
Brandon gently pulled back, his hands cupping her face. "You don't have to have all the answers right now, okay? Just know that it's okay to feel this way. You don't have to hide it."
"I don't know what to do anymore, Brandon." Ivy's voice was broken, raw. "I don't want to be here."
"You are here," Brandon whispered, his voice firm but filled with love. "You're here with me. With us. And we're not going anywhere. You just have to hold on, Ivy. We'll help you through this, together."
For the first time that day, Ivy felt like maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as alone as she'd thought. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but she didn't have to carry the weight of it by herself. With Brandon by her side, she was starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, things could get better.
"I'm here," Brandon repeated softly, as he pulled her close again, letting her rest in the safety of his embrace.
And in that moment, Ivy finally allowed herself to feel the comfort of not having to fight everything on her own.