Between The Lines

Chapter 44: Guilty pleasures

Rebecca's POV (1st person):

The next morning, the alarm blared far too early for Rebecca's liking. She groaned, rolling over and slapping the snooze button. Despite the late night, she knew she couldn't afford to miss swim practice. She dragged herself out of bed, threw on her swimsuit, and headed to the pool.

The cold water shocked her awake, but as she swam, the rhythm of the strokes and the sound of her breathing helped clear her mind. She pushed herself harder than usual, trying to swim away from her tangled thoughts about Mr. Montgomery and Jack.

After practice, she showered and dressed in the locker room. As she walked out, she saw a few of her teammates chatting and laughing. She forced a smile, but her heart wasn't in it. She couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty that had settled over her.

As she walked to her first class, she noticed Mr. Montgomery heading in the same direction. Her heart skipped a beat. She considered ducking into a side hallway to avoid him but decided against it. She couldn't avoid him forever.

"Morning, Miss Taylor," he greeted her with his usual smirk.

"Morning, Mr. Montgomery," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

He paused, looking her over with an intensity that made her skin prickle. "How's your leg?"

Rebecca blinked, surprised he remembered. "It's fine, thanks."

"Good to hear," he said, his tone oddly sincere. Then, with a hint of sarcasm, he added, "Try to be more careful next time. We wouldn't want you getting hurt again, would we?"

She rolled her eyes, biting back a sarcastic retort. "Yes, sir. I'll do my best."

As he walked away, Rebecca's frustration bubbled up again. Why did he always have to be so confusing? One minute he seemed genuinely concerned, and the next he was back to his irritating self.

The day dragged on, each class blurring into the next. By the time lunch rolled around, Rebecca was more than ready for a break. She grabbed her lunch and headed to her usual spot, hoping for some peace and quiet.

To her dismay, Jack was waiting for her. "Hey, Rebecca," he called, waving her over.

She sighed inwardly but walked over to him. "Hey, Jack."

"I was thinking," he began, a mischievous glint in his eye. "There's this party tonight. You should come with me."

Rebecca hesitated. "I don't know, Jack. I've got a lot of homework and..."

"Come on, it'll be fun," he interrupted. "You need a break from all that school stuff. Live a little."

She frowned, the memory of their last hangout still fresh in her mind. "I'm not sure."

Jack's expression darkened. "You owe me, remember? A deal's a deal."

Rebecca's stomach twisted. She didn't like the way he was talking to her, but he was right. She had agreed to the deal. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll go."

"Great," he said, his smile returning. "I'll pick you up at eight."

As she sat down to eat, Rebecca couldn't help but feel trapped. She glanced around the cafeteria, her eyes landing on Mr. Montgomery, who was talking to another teacher. For a moment, their eyes met, and she quickly looked away, her face flushing.

She finished her lunch in silence, her thoughts racing. What was she doing? Why did everything feel so complicated? She knew she needed to sort out her feelings, but right now, all she wanted was to survive the day.