The penthouse had settled into a quiet rhythm, one that Lina moved through carefully, like someone learning how to exist in a space that wasn't built for survival.
She stayed mostly in her room.
When she came out, it was brief. Quiet. Controlled.
She spoke when necessary, nodded when spoken to, and disappeared just as quickly.
The boys tried.
They really did.
Lucas would make random jokes just to get a reaction out of her. Jeremy kept conversations soft and welcoming. Andrew checked on her without making it obvious. Matthew simply observed, understanding more than he let on.
But Lina…
Lina remained distant.
Not cold.
Not ungrateful.
Just… far.
Like she was there physically, but somewhere else entirely in her mind.
Dave noticed it more than anyone.
And that was exactly why Simon was standing at the penthouse door that afternoon.
When the door opened, Lina froze.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the glass of water she had been holding as her eyes met his.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Lina…" Simon's voice was gentle, careful.
Something shifted in her expression.
Not a smile.
Not quite relief.
But something close.
"You're here," she said quietly.
"I told you I'd always show up."
Silence lingered between them for a second before she stepped aside, allowing him in.
The boys watched from the living room, their curiosity obvious but restrained.
Simon nodded politely at them before his attention returned to Lina.
"You've lost weight," he said softly.
She shrugged. "I'm fine."
He didn't believe her.
Not for a second.
"Walk with me," he said.
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
They moved toward the balcony, the city stretching endlessly before them. The wind carried a cool breeze, brushing against Lina's blue hair as she leaned lightly against the railing.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Simon didn't rush her.
He knew better.
"You're not sleeping," he said finally.
It wasn't a question.
Lina let out a quiet breath.
"They don't stop," she admitted.
Her voice was low.
Almost fragile.
"The nightmares… they just keep coming."
Simon's jaw tightened slightly.
"What happens?"
She hesitated.
Then spoke.
"I wake up feeling like I'm still there," she said. "Like I never left."
Her fingers curled slightly around the railing.
"I can hear them… sometimes even after I wake up."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Simon looked at her, really looked at her, and saw what the others couldn't fully understand yet.
This wasn't something she could just move on from.
This was something she was still living through.
"You need help, Lina," he said gently.
She shook her head immediately.
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
Her silence said everything.
Simon softened his tone.
"Talking to someone doesn't make you weak."
"It does where I come from," she replied quietly.
He stepped closer.
"You're not there anymore."
That hit something.
She looked away.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then, barely above a whisper, "What if it doesn't help?"
"It might not fix everything," Simon admitted. "But it'll help you breathe again."
She swallowed.
That was all she wanted.
To breathe without feeling like something was pressing down on her chest.
"I'll think about it," she said.
Simon nodded.
"That's enough for now."
Back inside, the mood shifted slightly as Dave stood up.
"We have an interview in an hour," he said.
Lina stiffened.
"I'm not going."
All eyes turned to her.
Andrew stepped forward slightly. "It's just a short one."
She shook her head.
"I'm not ready."
There was no attitude in her tone.
No defiance.
Just truth.
Dave studied her for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright."
Lucas blinked. "That easy?"
Dave didn't look at him. "She said she's not ready."
And that was the end of it.
Not everyone would have respected that.
But he did.
An hour later, the boys sat across from the interviewer, cameras rolling, lights bright, smiles practiced.
"Congratulations on the success of the talent show," the interviewer began warmly. "But there's one person everyone is talking about… Lina Storm."
Dave's expression remained neutral.
"She's incredibly talented," Jeremy said calmly.
The interviewer smiled, but there was something behind it.
"There are… rumors," she continued. "Some say she might actually be Lina Hale, a girl who was declared dead not too long ago. Care to comment?"
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Andrew's jaw tightened slightly.
"That's her personal life," he said firmly.
"But don't you think the public deserves to know the truth?" the interviewer pressed.
Lucas leaned forward.
"The public deserves good music," he said. "That's what she gave them."
The interviewer let out a small laugh.
"Or maybe she's hiding something," she added. "People don't just come back from the dead."
That was it.
Dave stood up.
The chair scraped lightly against the floor.
"We're done here."
The cameras were still rolling.
The interviewer blinked, surprised.
"You're walking out?"
Matthew stood as well. "Yes."
Jeremy gave a polite but firm nod. "Respectfully."
And just like that, they left.
No explanation.
No hesitation.
When they got back to the penthouse, the atmosphere was quiet again.
But something was different.
There was sound.
Soft.
Melodic.
Coming from the studio.
They exchanged glances before moving toward it.
The door was slightly open.
And inside—
Lina.
She sat at the piano, her fingers moving gently across the keys, her voice filling the room.
Soft.
Broken.
Beautiful.
"I built my walls out of silence…
Brick by brick, I learned to hide…
Every scar became a secret…
Every tear I kept inside…"
The boys stood still.
Listening.
Not interrupting.
Her voice trembled slightly, but she didn't stop.
"I tried to scream but no one heard me…
Tried to run but had no place…
So I learned to wear a smile…
While the pain lived in my face…"
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
Her fingers never faltered.
"And if I break, will anyone notice…
Or will I fall right through the cracks…
I've been carrying all this weight…
And I don't know how to give it back…"
Silence filled the room when she finished.
Heavy.
Emotional.
Real.
Lina wiped her tears quickly, unaware that she wasn't alone.
Then—
Clapping.
Soft at first.
She turned, startled.
The boys stood there.
Lucas shook his head slightly, impressed. "That was insane."
Jeremy smiled warmly. "You wrote that?"
She nodded slowly.
Andrew stepped forward. "That was more than a song."
Matthew added quietly, "That was truth."
Lina looked down, unsure how to respond.
Then Dave spoke.
"Lina…"
She looked up.
His expression was softer than she had ever seen it.
"We're here for you," he said.
A pause.
"Anytime you need us."
Silence followed.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It was something else.
Something lighter.
Something that felt like the beginning of trust.
And for the first time since she stepped into that penthouse—
Lina didn't feel completely alone.