"Over a Book" [MODERN HAMLIZA]

"That boy is mine" - Chapter 10

"Peggy! Can you come and help me?" Eliza called from her room where she sat on the bed, knee bouncing anxiously.

Her sister bowled in, blinking at the fact she was purely just sitting there. "What?"

"I need you to help me pick an outfit." Eliza huffed, gesturing to the clothes scattered on the floor.

"Oh. Oh!" Peggy's face lit up.

She shut the door behind her and returned to the room, slapping her hands together and rubbing them excitedly. "Okay, first of all, it's snowing outside; you're gonna have to make do with coats, scarf, gloves, all of that jazz." She paused. "Hmm.. unless you want him to lend you his coat.."

"Peggy! Focus, he's not lending me anything."

"Mhm, sure," Peggy rolled her eyes. "Maybe he'll lend you a kiss if not a coat?" When she made a kissy face, Eliza sent a white hoodie flying at her, breaking the expression. Peggy caught the hoodie and inspected it before throwing it aside, crouching to dig through the piles of clothes scattered across the small floor space.

As Eliza watched, swinging her legs up out of Peggy's way, she realised how lucky she was to have Peggy. Sure, her sibling may be extremely infuriating, but after everything they'd been through with their father, along with debt and other complications such as Angelica - she'd stuck by their sides through it all. Mainly Eliza's. Maybe it was because she and Peggy were closer?

Either way, Peggy had been there for them the entire time. Eliza was so incredibly thankful. Peggy could've stayed behind with their father; after all, she had had no quarrel with him - but she'd chosen to be a good sister to Angelica and Eliza instead. Staying by their sides when they weren't sure if they were going to be able to find a place to live, making sure they were doing alright mentally and keeping them stable in that sense, giving them food or comfort when they needed it but couldn't get it - Peggy had done it all for them.

Eliza had barely repaid her. She supposed that having a living space was good repayment, but it was the bare minimum to keep Peggy fed and happy. It was rather going out of her way to make sure she was happy that mattered.

I'll find a way to help her with Laurens. It's a start to repaying her, anyway.

"How about this?"

Thirty minutes later, Peggy had put together a lovely outfit, all of Eliza's clothes now neatly folded and stacked in sorted piles.

It was a pale blue turtle neck which was supposed to be tucked into grey checkered mom jeans, along with a long, grey trenchcoat to match. And a pair of blue mittens, which Eliza had picked herself, much to Peggy's dismay.

"It looks nice. Can I try it on?"

Peggy left the room, her face that of pure joy, and Eliza felt a content warmth melt at her insides at seeing Peggy so happy. She felt even more prideful toward her sister when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Peggy knows her style, huh?

Peggy was ecstatic when she saw Eliza in the clothes she picked out and insisted on walking Eliza out of the apartment block, where Alexander would surely be waiting for her outside in his car. Eliza kept protesting, but Peggy was a very stubborn girl. Whether that was a good or bad trait was up to anyone's imagination.

Sweeping her long hair back over her shoulder - she had left it down for this occasion -, Eliza stepped down the stairs on the outside of the block, Peggy by her side and chattering non-stop to her.

"Alright, I'll wait with you till Alex gets- oh."

Alexander pulled up.

"That was a quick wait," Eliza chuckled, ruffling Peggy's already curly hair and letting Alexander's car purr quietly as it came to a stop. "See ya later, Peggster. Love you."