Between The Lines

Chapter 36: Shadows of Doubts

Lane's POV (Third Person):

Lane Montgomery leaned back in his chair, his mind racing with thoughts of the past few days. He had always prided himself on maintaining professional boundaries, but something about Rebecca Taylor had gotten under his skin. It all started when he saw her with Oliver in the cafeteria.

He had noticed Rebecca before, of course. She was a bright student, albeit a bit mouthy and disrespectful at times. But it was that day in the gym, when he had to help her with her ankle, that things started to change. He remembered the way she had looked up at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable, as she asked for his help. It had stirred something in him, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Then there was Oliver, always hovering around her. Lane couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy every time he saw them together. He recalled the way Oliver had his arm around her waist, helping her walk. It was a gesture that should have been innocent, but it had ignited a spark of irritation in him. And when he saw them holding hands across the table in the cafeteria, he had felt a surge of possessiveness that he couldn't quite explain.

He had smirked at her then, hoping to rattle her. It was a childish move, but he couldn't help himself. The way she had blushed and looked away had only fueled his curiosity and his frustration. And the women teachers, always vying for his attention, only served to remind him how much he didn't care for their advances. They threw themselves at him, but all he could think about was Rebecca and her defiant spirit.

Today had been the breaking point. He had waited in his classroom, expecting her to show up on time. When she was late, he felt a mix of worry and irritation. And then she had walked in, looking disheveled and upset. Her lip was bleeding, and it had taken all his self-control not to show how much it affected him.

"Rebecca, what happened?" he had asked, trying to keep his voice calm. "Is this why you were late?"

She had looked so vulnerable, so different from her usual self. When she had denied it, scrambling for an excuse, it had broken something inside him. He wanted to protect her, to make sure she was safe. But he was her teacher, and there were boundaries he couldn't cross.

As he leaned in close, he couldn't help but notice the faint smell of her shampoo, the way her eyes darted away from his. "Look at me and answer the damn question," he had demanded, trying to keep his emotions in check.

When she finally admitted she didn't have a boyfriend, he had felt a strange mix of relief and anger. Who had hurt her? And why did it matter so much to him?

"Well, Miss Taylor, I suggest you focus less on your social life and more on your studies," he had said, trying to regain some semblance of control. "It's clear you have much to learn about respect and honourifics."

But even as he said it, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than just a simple disciplinary issue. Rebecca was hiding something, and he was determined to find out what it was. He just hoped he could do it without crossing the line he had sworn never to cross.