Rebecca's POV (1st Person):
The morning started terribly. I woke up with cramps that felt like tiny daggers stabbing at my insides. Great. As if my life wasn't complicated enough, now I had to deal with my period. My parents were already arguing when I stumbled downstairs, their voices grating on my already frayed nerves.
"Rebecca, you're late again!" my mother snapped as I grabbed a piece of toast.
"Do you even care about your future?" my father added, his tone accusatory.
"Maybe if you two stopped fighting for five seconds, I'd have a chance to focus," I shot back, regretting the words the moment they left my mouth.
"What did you just say?" my mother demanded, her eyes narrowing.
I rolled my eyes, not in the mood for another lecture. "Forget it. I'm leaving."
I stormed out of the house, my parents' shouts following me down the street. By the time I got to school, my head was pounding, and my mood was even worse. I tied my hair up in a high ponytail, deliberately ignoring Lane's usual comment about preferring it in a braid. Maybe annoying him would make me feel better.
As I walked into the classroom, I could feel Lane's eyes on me. I smirked, relishing the thought of irritating him. I slumped into my seat, not bothering to hide my bad mood.
"Rebecca," Lane called out, his tone firm. "A word, please."
I sighed dramatically and dragged myself to his desk. "Yes, Mr. Montgomery?"
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my attitude. "You seem to be having a rough day."
"Just a bit," I replied sarcastically.
He frowned, leaning forward slightly. "That doesn't excuse your behaviour. And what did I say about your hair?"
"I don't care," I snapped. "It's just hair."
His expression darkened. "Watch your tone, Rebecca. You're skating on thin ice."
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "Whatever."
"Alright, that's enough," he said, his voice cold. "You're clearly in no state to participate properly today. I think a detention might help you adjust your attitude."
"Fine by me," I muttered, turning on my heel and heading back to my seat.
As I sat down, I couldn't help but pout. The day was only getting worse. Oliver, sitting next to me, noticed my distress. He gently guided me to rest my head on his chest, his arm wrapping around my shoulders protectively. I sighed in relief, grateful for his comfort.
"It's okay, Rebecca," Oliver whispered. "Just relax."
I closed my eyes, trying to forget about the awful morning. The warmth of Oliver's chest and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat were soothing. But then I felt Lane's eyes on us, and when I glanced up, I saw a flicker of something in his gaze—annoyance? Jealousy?
The rest of the class passed in a blur. I was too distracted by my own thoughts and the lingering tension between Lane and me. When the bell rang, signalling the end of class, I reluctantly pulled away from Oliver.
"Thanks," I murmured, giving him a small smile.
"No problem," he said, returning the smile. "Just hang in there."
_______________________________________________________________________________
I made my way to the detention room, my heart sinking as I remembered the severity of Lane's punishments. Now that we were... together, I knew he wouldn't go easy on me. I sat down, fidgeting nervously as I waited for him to arrive.
YOU ARE READING
Between The Lines
RomanceI took my usual seat in the back corner, far away from the line of fire that always seemed to follow Mr. Montgomery's gaze. I tried to disappear into the safety of my textbook, but his piercing blue eyes seemed to find me anyway, as if daring me to...
