Between The Lines

Chapter 65: A new Day, a new Struggle

Rebecca's POV (1st Person):

I shut the door to my room, trying to block out the sound of my parents' fighting. They were at it again, arguing about some random shit that I couldn't even begin to care about. All I wanted was a moment of peace.

Slipping into my comfy pyjamas—a set of soft, plaid pants and an oversized T-shirt—I flopped onto my bed with a bag of my favourite chips. The familiar crunch and salty flavour were comforting, a small escape from the chaos outside my door.

I picked up my phone, scrolling aimlessly through Pinterest. Pretty pictures, DIY projects, and quotes about life and love filled my screen, a welcome distraction from reality. After a while, though, even Pinterest couldn't hold my attention. I sighed opening my laptop and switching to my emails, a mix of school assignments and random newsletters cluttering my inbox.

One email caught my eye—an update from Mr. Montgomery. He'd sent out details about an upcoming assignment. As I opened the email, my gaze drifted to his profile picture. He was standing in front of a bookshelf, a soft smile on his face. His blonde, curly hair looked slightly tousled, and his striking blue eyes seemed to be looking right at me. He was wearing a fitted dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms. The photo was casual but undeniably hot.

I zoomed in, trying to get a better look at the details. His expression was warm and approachable, but there was a hint of that usual authoritative air. I found myself staring at the picture, lost in thoughts of our recent interactions. I crunched on a chip, the sound loud in the quiet room, as I admired every inch of him in the photo. His strong jawline, the slight stubble, and the way his shirt clung to his broad shoulders.

For about five minutes, I just lay there, studying the photo and letting my mind wander. I thought about the way he'd looked at me, the times he'd touched my waist, the way his presence made my heart race.

Just as I was sinking deeper into my thoughts, my door creaked open. I jumped, fumbling to hide my laptop as someone stepped into the room.

"Rebecca, what are you doing?" Alex's voice broke through my haze.

I looked up, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "Nothing! Just... checking my emails. You know, school.... stuff."

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "You looked pretty engrossed in whatever you were looking at."

I quickly shut my laptop, trying to play it cool. "What are you doing here? We haven't talked in ages."

He smirked, glancing at the bag of chips next to me. "Right. School stuff. With chips and Pinterest?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to shift the conversation. "What do you want, Alex?"

He leaned against the doorframe, his expression softening. "Just wanted to see if you were okay. Your parents are really going at it tonight."

I sighed, feeling the weight of the argument outside my door. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to stay out of it."

He nodded, stepping into the room and sitting on the edge of my bed. "I get that. It's tough."

I looked at him, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah. Thanks for checking on me."

"Anytime," he said, giving me a reassuring smile. "So, what were you really looking at?"

I blushed, not wanting to admit the truth. "Just... Mr. Montgomery sent an email about an assignment."

Alex's eyes narrowed playfully. "Uh-huh. And his profile picture just happened to catch your eye?"

I felt my cheeks heat up even more. "It's not like that," I stammered, knowing full well it was exactly like that.

"Sure, sure," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You know it's bad to feel this way about a teacher, right?"