Raccoon City University: Albert Wesker x Rebecca Chambers College!AU

Chapter Nine

Rebecca felt the gentle warmth of sunlight beaming onto her face. Almost immediately, she knew that she wasn't in her own room since her bed wasn't by a window. Although the place she was in was unfamiliar, she didn't feel scared or worried. At least, she wasn't worried about being in the wrong place. Instead, she was worried about missing basketball practice.

As soon as she realized how late she probably was, she immediately shot up and got ready to rush out of this unfamiliar bed. However, before she was able to do so, a gentle yet firm hand pushed on her shoulder. She looked up to see Albert standing above her, dressed in sunglasses and pajamas.

"Albert!" Rebecca said as she panicked while also feeling blush cover her face. "Uhm, I- look, I really have to go-"

"Calm down, Rebecca," he said, his tone incredibly calm and relaxed. "I can explain everything to you."

Rebecca reluctantly leaned back in bed, her back resting against a pillow. She looked up at Albert with an anxious but bashful look on her face.

"I already spoke to your coach about you missing practice today," he began. "I told her that you were under the weather and would miss a day or two. So, there's no need to worry about that now. Do you remember yesterday? After your practice?"

"Uhm..." Rebecca closed her eyes and did her best to remember. She must have been asleep for so long seeing how foggy her memory was. That was, until, she gathered her thoughts. "Oh no! Albert, I was supposed to meet you at the lab, wasn't I? I'm so sorry! I must have fallen asleep but... I don't remember when I did."

"It's quite all right," Albert replied. "There's no need to apologize. You fell asleep right outside of the gymnasium. I found you on the way to the way to the lab and decided to carry you back here, to my dorm, so you could rest. I really hope you don't mind being here. It was the closest of the two."

"I really don't mind," Rebecca blushed a bit. She had slept in his bed and she couldn't help but wonder if he had slept next to her. "Thank you so much! You really didn't have to do any of this-"

"But I wanted to," Albert finished. "It's not a problem. Uhm... your two friends, Jill and Sheva I believe, stopped by the other day. They told me how you've been having trouble catching up in your studies and suggested that I could help you."

"Oh yeah," Rebecca said, embarrassed. She felt herself blush again, though, this time was out of shame and embarrassment rather than doting. "About that, I'm doing okay, really. I just need some more time catch up is all."

Rebecca couldn't understand why she was saying these things. She needed help and knew that she was unsure how to properly ask for it. Back in high school, middle school, and even elementary school, Rebecca was the star student. She was always ahead of her peers without ever needing assistance. Now, however, when she truly needs some help with her studies, she had no idea how to ask for it or even accept it. Taking help now, when she's officially an adult, felt wrong.

"I insist," Albert continued on, pulling up a chair and sitting beside Rebecca. "Virology is a difficult major so it's perfectly understandable that you would need some assistance with it – especially when you've started late. I've already taken all those classes you're currently in." He gently grabbed her hand and looked her in the eyes (through his sunglasses). "I want to help."

Rebecca looked back at Albert. Her eyes began to sparkle, then water, then tears slowly poured down her face. She cupped her face in her hands as she began to cry. She did her best to keep her sniffles and whimpers quiet, though it was more than obvious she was already in tears. Rebecca had managed to push through the stress and exhaustion for a while up until now. Even she knew that there was going to be a point where she just couldn't handle it anymore – she never imagined it to be in front of Albert, though. She felt humiliated and tired. The current situation Rebecca found herself in only seemed to give her another reason to cry.