Chances ▻ Riverdale

10

Eliza's eyes fluttered open to find herself lying in a hospital bed, "What the hell?" She muttered to herself, confused as to how she had gotten there.

"Eliza?" A familiar voice spoke up, causing her to turn her head to see FP sitting beside her bed in a chair.

"FP, what happened? How did I get here?" Eliza asked him concerned, trying to stand up.

FP stood up, placing his hands on her shoulders as he pushed her back down, "You don't want to do that," He warned her quietly, "You have a couple broken ribs. The doctors said you have to stay in bed for a couple more days."

"Broken ribs?" Eliza frowned in confusion, "How did I get to the hospital?"

"Johnny brought you here three days ago," FP informed her, "After the rumble, you crashed your bike. Johnny was driving back home on his bike when he saw you crash. He brought you here because you wouldn't wake up."

  Eliza was silent for a long while, trying to remember what had happened to her. Flashes of that whole night went through her mind; her father kicking the crap out of her, the rumble, and lastly, her knocking out in the middle of riding her bike.

"I've been asleep for three days?" Eliza asked in disbelief.

"Yes, we were starting to believe that you would never wake up," A familiar voice spoke up and Eliza turned her head to see her older sister, Victoria, entering the small hospital room.

"I'll give you some time alone," FP told them, sending Eliza a small smile before making his way out of the room.

"What are you doing here?" Eliza asked her sister, sounding angered.

"When Johnny brought you here, my number was the second number on your emergency contact list. Dad was the first, but he didn't answer. So they called me." Victoria explained to her, walking a bit closer to her younger sister.

"Yeah, well, that was a mistake," Eliza replied with a cold look on her face, "You can leave now."

Victoria decided to ignore her sister and began to speak once more, "Eliza, what the hell happened to you?" She questioned, a concerned look on her face, "I know all these injuries weren't all from the rumble. Marty Mantle barely laid a hand on you."

"It was nothing," Eliza answered, shaking her head slightly, "I fell off my bike."

Victoria scoffed loudly, "You see, little sis, I don't believe that. Johnny said that you were swerving a bit before you crashed your bike. Sounds like you were losing consciousness. But why though? What happened before the rumble to make you so beat up?"

"Like I said, Victoria, it was nothing," Eliza argued defensively, clearly not wanting to be honest with her sister, "You can go now. I don't want you here."

It was silent for a long moment, Victoria trying to piece together what had happened to her sister, "Was it..." She spoke up before trailing off, becoming quieter, "Was it your boyfriend? Is that why you don't want to tell me?"

Eliza scoffed loudly, rolling her eyes, "If you really want to know, it was Dad. He knocks me around a bit when I piss him off, which is a lot. He thinks it'll toughen me up so I'll be able to be a great leader to the Serpents in a couple years." She explained and she could tell Victoria was beyond shocked.

Victoria moved closer to her sister, gripping onto Eliza's hand in comfort. Eliza looked at her confused, wondering why she was being so comforting. She couldn't care less how Victoria felt about their father being abusive. She wasn't there to witness it all so she wouldn't know that Eliza didn't care much since she was used to it.

"I'm so sorry, Eliza," Victoria apologized to her sister, tears welled in her eyes, "I'm sorry that I left you with Dad and moved away for college. But I'm here now and I'm offering you a place to stay with me in New York. Away from all of this."

Eliza roughly pulled her hand away from Victoria's grasp, "You didn't just leave. You cut me out of your life completely! I wrote to you so many times and I didn't even get a single word back from you. You could've been dead for all I knew. But of course, you weren't. You just wanted to get rid of your old life and that included me. You left five years ago, Victoria! And you think you can just come back now and bring me along with you to New York? You're too late. Riverdale's my home. I'm a Serpent now and always will be. That means I have to stay here. The Serpents are my people and I'm going to be their leader in a couple years. Nothing's going to change that." She explained to her sister, who seemed taken aback from it all.

Footsteps were heard approaching the room and suddenly, their father entered the hospital room, causing Victoria's eyes to widen in shock, "D-Dad." Victoria suddenly spoke up, looking a bit fearful.

"Well, well. Look who decided to come back home." James commented before turning to Eliza, "Come on, we're leaving."

"She's not ready to go home!" Victoria complained, "She has to stay three more days."

"No money to pay for the bills?" Eliza questioned curiously and James nodded his head in confirmation.

"Yup, let's go," James told his youngest daughter, pulling the sheet off of Eliza, about to pick her up bridal's style.

"You're not taking her anywhere," Victoria argued, "She's coming to live with me."

"No, she's not," James argued back sternly before turning to glance at Eliza, "Are you, Eliza?"

Eliza immediately shook her head, "No, I'm not going with you, Tori. I'm staying with Dad." She replied and Victoria stared at her in disbelief.

James turned to glare at Victoria, "At least one daughter knows the meaning of family." He commented before lifting Eliza up, causing her to wince in pain.

Victoria watched in shock as James picked up Eliza's Serpent jacket off the chair FP was formerly sitting on before he left. He walked toward the door, "This isn't over!" Victoria yelled out, "I'm going to convince you to leave, Eliza. Even if it's the last thing I do."