breaking the ice | j. drysdale

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CONTENT WARNING - mentioned physical abuse and a hospitalization. pls read at your own risk

✧༺♥༻∞

【 eliana's pov 】
february 2021

all eliana can remember is the pain.

there was a sharp pain in her chest and abdomen. her wrist was sore too. she was having a really hard time breathing before she blacked out and lost consciousness in the middle of the living room.

when she wakes up, there's a tube in her chest and a nasal cannula in her nose giving her fresh oxygen. there's a beeping noise behind her and pressure on her hand. she can actually breathe now.

she looks over and recognizes her brother's hair. as soon as she wiggles her fingers, river lifts his head and looks at his younger sister. he looks happy to see her.

"hey," he says. "welcome back. you look like shit."

eliana cracks a smile and retorts, "so you do."

her brother looks like he hasn't slept in days. the bags under his eyes are a dead giveaway and his hair is a mess.

"at least i don't have a black eye and a split lip," he says.

her entire face begins to throb at the mention of a black eye and split lip. she closes her eyes and winces because it feels like she got hit all over again.

a thick tension forms between eliana and river. when she opens her eyes again, river has a soft look on his face.

"you haven't been falling down the stairs or running into doors, have you?" river questions. "the doctor said the way your wrist was broken looked like someone twisted it instead of landing on it during a fall."

tears immediately well up in eliana's eyes.

all she has wanted to do is tell her big brother what has been going on between her and luka. all she has wanted was her big brother to protect her from luka but she was terrified what would happen if she told anyone.

her parents don't know. river didn't know. harper suspected but eliana never confirmed anything.

it wasn't supposed to get to this point.

"i thought he would stop," eliana cries. "he was always apologetic after he grabbed me too hard and he immediately regretted when he slapped me. he told me it would be the last time over and over again but it was never the last time. then he got so angry last night and now i'm here. i'm so sorry i didn't tell you."

river shakes his head and grabs her hand. "it's not your fault, el," he tells her. "you loved him so you thought he would change. you hoped he would. don't blame yourself for something that you couldn't control."

"i want to get away from him," eliana tells her brother. "i want to get away from here. far away from boston. please."

"whatever you want to do, el. i'll help you."

that was all she needed to hear before she withdrew from classes at boston college the next day with river and harper's help.