Between The Lines

Chapter 87: Time's Toll

Lane's POV:

Lane sat at his desk, the clutter of papers and books around him a stark contrast to the clarity he so desperately sought. He had tried to concentrate on his work, but every time he attempted to read a sentence or correct errors, his mind drifted back to Rebecca. Her face, etched with anger and hurt, was all he could see.

He had tried to explain, but she wouldn't let him. Her harsh words at the meeting still echoed in his mind, each one like a dagger to his heart. "There is nothing between us anyway." How could she say that? After everything they had shared?

Lane leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. He had listened to Matt, following his advice to keep his distance and let her cool down. It had worked wonders at the meeting, quelling the rumours and satisfying the administration. But now, it seemed to have driven Rebecca even further away.

He thought back to that day in the shop, when she had glared at him with such intensity. She hadn't even let him explain. She was so mad, so hurt, and he felt powerless to do anything about it. He remembered her storming out of the room, her eyes filled with tears. He had wanted to run after her, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay, but he knew he had to respect her need for space.

Lane sighed, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at his phone, tempted to text her, to call her, to do anything to hear her voice. But he knew it would only push her further away. She needed time to process everything, and he had to give her that.

He got up from his desk and walked over to the window, looking out at the empty school grounds. The students had all gone home, and the silence was deafening. He thought about the times he had spent with Rebecca, the stolen glances, the secret touches, the way her face lit up when she smiled, the way she blushed when he teased her. He missed all of it. He missed her. 

 He had never felt this way about anyone before, and the thought of losing her was terrifying.

Lane knew he had made mistakes, but he couldn't understand why she wouldn't let him explain. He had tried to follow Matt's advice, to keep his distance and let things settle. But now, it seemed to have backfired. She was drifting further and further away, and he didn't know how to bring her back.

He sighed, leaning his head against the window. He thought about the times they had spent together, the way she looked at him with those big, expressive eyes, filled with both love and uncertainty. He wanted to take away her pain, to hold her and make everything right again.

But she wouldn't let him.

Lane turned away from the window and sat back down at his desk. He picked up his phone and typed out a message to Rebecca, then hesitated. He didn't want to push her away even more. Instead, he deleted the message and put the phone down.

He buried his face in his hands, frustration boiling inside him. How could he get through to her? How could he make her understand that she was everything to him?

He thought about their last conversation, the way she had looked at him with such anger and hurt. He had wanted to explain, to make her understand that Karen meant nothing to him. But she wouldn't listen.

Lane knew he had to find a way to fix this, to make her see that what they had was real and worth fighting for. But how?

For now, all he could do was wait and hope that she would come around. And in the meantime, he would hold onto the memories of their time together, hoping that they would find their way back to each other.

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Lane felt like a shadow of himself. The days seemed to blur together, each one more monotonous and empty than the last. His inability to concentrate was growing worse, and it was starting to affect every aspect of his life. He couldn't focus on his students, his lectures lacked their usual enthusiasm, and he found himself staring blankly at the board more often than not.

In the shower, he stood motionless under the stream of hot water, hoping it would wash away the numbness he felt inside. But the warmth did nothing to thaw the cold ache in his chest. He rested his head against the tiled wall, his thoughts consumed by Rebecca. Her absence was a void he couldn't fill.

He remembered the times they had shared together, the way her eyes would light up when she was excited, the soft sound of her laughter. He missed her touch, her presence, the way she made everything feel brighter and more vibrant. Now, everything felt dull and lifeless.

When he lay down in bed at night, the emptiness of his room seemed to amplify his loneliness. He would lie on his back, staring at the ceiling, unable to move. The thought of Rebecca was a constant weight on his chest, making it hard to breathe. He longed for her touch, her warmth, the feel of her body next to his.

He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't think about anything other than her. His dreams were filled with images of her, but they always ended with her turning away, leaving him alone. The pain of waking up and realizing it was just a dream was almost too much to bear.

He knew he had to do something, but he didn't know what. He couldn't reach out to her, not after the way she had stormed out of the room, her words still echoing in his mind. "There is nothing between us anyway." How could she say that? How could she think that?

Lane sighed, rolling over onto his side. He glanced at his phone on the nightstand, the temptation to call or text her overwhelming. But he knew it wouldn't help. She needed time, and he had to give her that.

But it was killing him.

Every moment without her felt like an eternity. He missed the sound of her voice, the way she would tease him, the way she would look at him with those big, expressive eyes. He missed everything about her.

He closed his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they wouldn't leave him. He felt a tear slide down his cheek, and he brushed it away angrily. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. He was supposed to be strong, to be able to handle this.

But he couldn't.

He needed her. He needed her touch, her warmth, her love. Without her, he felt like he was falling apart.

He sighed again, rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling. He didn't know how much longer he could go on like this. He had to find a way to make things right, to bring her back into his life.

But for now, all he could do was lie there, consumed by the emptiness and longing for the one person who could make everything better.

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A short one, but I think it speaks volumes. What do you think? -Luna xx