Between The Lines

Chapter 59: Unexpected Worry

Rebecca's POV (1st Person):

It was the weekend, and I woke up late, groggy and irritated. I glanced at the clock and saw it was already 11:00 AM. Great. I only had a couple of hours to get ready before Mr. Montgomery was supposed to pick me up to go dress shopping for Matt's wedding. I couldn't believe I was doing this, and I was still embarrassed from our conversation in the car.

I shuffled through my closet, trying on what felt like fifty million outfits. Nothing seemed to suit the mood or my flustered state. Dresses, jeans, skirts, nothing seemed right. Finally, I settled on a pair of comfy jeans and a simple black t-shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling somewhat satisfied but still nervous.

Grabbing my phone, I checked the time. 12:58. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly said goodbye to my family and sat on the front step, waiting for him. Fifteen minutes went by. Then twenty. He still didn't come. Annoyance turned into worry as I flicked him an email, but there was no reply.

I waited another hour, the knot in my stomach tightening with each passing minute. By now, I was genuinely worried. Something must have happened. I decided to take matters into my own hands and biked to his house, which was practically on the other side of town in the "good and new" suburb.

As I approached his house, I could feel my anxiety rising. I ran up to the door and pounded on it. "Sir? Mr. Montgomery?" I called out, my voice tinged with desperation. There was no answer. My heart raced as I peered through the windows.

Buddy, Mr. Montgomery's dog, was barking frantically. I noticed an open window and, in a moment of panic, decided to climb through it. I jumped up, but as I tried to get inside, I lost my balance and fell on my face. "For God's sake," I muttered, scrambling to my feet.

"Hey there, Bud," I said, patting the dog briefly. "Where's Sir?"

Then I saw him. Lane was lying on the floor, peaceful but unconscious. My heart dropped into my stomach. "Oh no," I whispered, rushing to his side. "Mr. Montgomery, can you hear me?"

I shook him gently, but there was no response. Panic surged through me as I fumbled for my phone and dialed emergency services. "Hello? I need an ambulance," I cried into the phone, my voice shaking. "He's unconscious... please hurry."

The operator's calm voice guided me through the steps to check his breathing and pulse. He was breathing, but it was shallow. Tears streamed down my face as I followed their instructions, my hands trembling.

I kept talking to him, hoping he could hear me. "Sir, please wake up. I need you. I can't do this without you. I'm so sorry for being mad at you yesterday. Please, just wake up."

Minutes felt like hours as I waited for the ambulance to arrive. Buddy stayed close, sensing my distress. Finally, I heard the sirens in the distance, and relief washed over me. The paramedics rushed in, taking over and assessing Lane's condition.

I stood back, feeling helpless and scared. One of the paramedics turned to me. "Are you a relative?" he asked.

"No, I'm his student," I replied, wiping my tears. "But I need to know if he's going to be okay."

"We'll take good care of him," the paramedic assured me. "You can follow us to the hospital."

I nodded, grabbing my bike and following the ambulance as best as I could. At the hospital, I waited anxiously in the waiting room, my mind racing with worry and regret. I couldn't believe this was happening.

Hours seemed to drag by with no updates. My stomach growled, and I shifted uncomfortably in the plastic chair, my ass sore from sitting so long. I finally decided to get something from the vending machine. As I made my way over, I glared at a group of boys mucking around, their laughter grating on my nerves. How could they be so carefree when my world felt like it was falling apart?