Between The Lines

Chapter 97: Stubborn, So Stubborn

Third Person:

Rebecca sat at her desk, her fingers tapping nervously on the math textbook in front of her. The numbers and formulas seemed to swim on the page, mocking her with their complexity. She had always been good at school, but this—this was different. English and math were her worst subjects, and right now, they were kicking her butt.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, which was pulled into a messy bun. She hadn't even bothered to put any effort into her appearance today; what was the point? She felt like a wreck, both mentally and physically.

Her math homework was sprawled out in front of her, along with the English assignment she had been avoiding for weeks. She knew she needed to get it done, but every time she tried, her mind wandered back to Lane. He was always there, in the back of her mind, distracting her from everything else. She hated how much space he took up in her thoughts. It made it nearly impossible to focus on anything else.

She glanced at her phone, tempted to text him for help, but immediately brushed the thought away. She didn't want to seem desperate or incapable. But the truth was, she was struggling. And it wasn't just the work that was hard—it was the way it made her feel. She was supposed to be smart, but right now, she felt like the dumbest person in the world.

Even Lyla, who usually struggled with academics, seemed to be breezing through the material. Rebecca had overheard her in the hallway earlier, chatting with someone about how easy the math problems were. It made her feel even more pathetic.

Rebecca buried her face in her hands, feeling tears of frustration welling up. She needed to get it together, but she didn't know how. The pressure was suffocating, and she didn't have a clue how to fix it.

The next day at school, Rebecca tried her best to act normally, but it was hard when everything felt like it was falling apart. Charlotte and Oliver seemed to understand everything that was being taught, and it only made her feel more isolated. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone, especially Lane.

During class, Rebecca barely managed to keep up, her notes a mess of half-understood concepts and scribbled questions she was too embarrassed to ask. Lane's eyes were on her more than once, she could feel it, but she refused to meet his gaze. The last thing she wanted was for him to see how much she was struggling—how lost she felt. It made her feel pathetic, and that was the last thing she wanted him to see.

When lunch finally came, Rebecca grabbed her things and headed toward the door, but Lane was quicker. He caught her by the arm, his expression filled with concern. "Rebecca, can I talk to you for a second?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine, Lane. Really."

But he wasn't buying it. He guided her down the hallway toward his office, his hand resting protectively on her back. Once inside, Rebecca tried to keep her composure, but she could feel his gaze boring into her, sensing that something was wrong.

"You've been off all day," he said, closing the door behind them. "What's going on?"

She shook her head, trying to dismiss it. "It's nothing. Just a bit tired, that's all."

Lane leaned against his desk, crossing his arms as he looked at her. "Tired doesn't explain the way you've been avoiding me or why you look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"It's really nothing," she insisted, trying to keep her tone light. "Just school stuff."

"School stuff," he repeated, clearly not convinced. "So it has nothing to do with the fact that you've been avoiding eye contact with me all day?"

Rebecca bit her lip, trying to think of something to say. "I've just been...distracted."

Lane's eyes narrowed slightly, his concern deepening. "Distracted by what? Rebecca, talk to me."