[𝟏] 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 | 𝐟𝐤&𝐜

Chapter 18: Mine ★

Ronnie's POV:

I stepped through the front door, my heart still racing from the exhilarating meeting I had just had at the studio. The excitement of another successful session filled me with a sense of accomplishment and hope for my music career. But as I closed the door behind me, the atmosphere in the house felt heavy, instantly dampening my spirits.

You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables

Left a small town, never looked back

I was a flight risk, with a fear of falling

Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts

I followed the sound of frustrated sighs and found my twin brother, Joel, sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by stacks of papers. His face was etched with worry, lines of stress etched into his forehead. I could tell something was wrong even before he spoke a word.

"Hey, Ronnie," Joel greeted me, his voice laced with tension. "I need to talk to you about something."

I furrowed my brows, concern washing over me as I approached him. "What's going on, Joel? You look stressed."

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I got laid off from my job today. The bills are starting to pile up, and I don't know how we're going to manage."

My heart sank at his words. We had been through these tough times before, but it never got any easier. As a new artist with only one album out, my income was still minimal. And with Joel losing his job, the financial burden fell heavily on both of us.

"I'm so sorry, Joel," I whispered, my voice filled with genuine concern. "We'll figure something out, we always do."

I say, "Can you believe it?"

As we're lying on the couch

The moment, I can see it

Yes, yes, I can see it now

Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?

You put your arm around me for the first time

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter

You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Joel's eyes met mine, a mix of frustration and desperation reflected in them. "I know we will, but it's not just about us anymore. We have to think about our younger brother, Luke. He's still in high school, and we can't burden him with this news. He's already dealing with enough."

I nodded, understanding the weight of Joel's words. We had always shielded Luke from our struggles, wanting him to focus on his studies and dreams without the added stress of our financial instability. But now, the responsibility to keep him unaware felt like a heavy secret weighing on our shoulders.

"I agree," I said softly, my voice filled with determination. "We'll make sure Luke doesn't find out. We'll find a way to take care of everything ourselves."

Joel nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his face. But as the weight of our situation settled in, tension began to build between us. The stress we both carried started to seep into our conversation, turning it into a heated argument.