Between The Lines

Chapter 107: Swimming In Depths

Rebecca's POV (1st Person):

The weekend felt emptier without Lane. I hated that I missed just looking at him, but I couldn't shake the feeling. Anything was better than staying cooped up at home, so I made up an excuse to get out of the house. Swimming. That would do.

My dad wasn't thrilled about driving me. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly I thought it might snap in half. I bit back a couple of sarcastic remarks, knowing they'd only make things worse. The car ride was silent, tense. When we finally pulled up to the pool, I didn't waste any time getting out. "Thanks," I muttered, slamming the door before he could respond.

Inside the locker room, I quickly changed into my swimsuit, throwing my clothes into a locker. With my cap and goggles in hand, I made my way to the pool, the familiar scent of chlorine filling the air. The water was cold as I dipped my toes in, the chill immediately soothing my nerves. I sat on the edge, legs dangling over the side, watching the ripples spread out.

A couple of boys were swimming laps in the lane beside me. I rolled my eyes, more out of habit than anything else, before focusing on my own routine. I pulled on my cap and goggles, standing up to stretch. As I adjusted my stance on the diving block, my mind wandered—back to Lane, of course. I couldn't help it. The memory of him, that time at the pool, every detail about his body, his face, that smirk... it all flooded back.

I dove in, hoping the water would wash away those thoughts. For a while, it worked. I managed to swim for a good half-hour before the memories crept back in. Groaning, I pulled off my cap, letting my hair tumble free, and slapped it on the ledge. Floating on my back, I stared up at the ceiling, trying to clear my head. But no matter how hard I tried, Lane was there, lurking in every thought.

With a sigh, I dove under again, hoping to escape, if only for a moment. But when I surfaced, something—or rather, someone—caught my attention. A swimmer had pulled up in the lane beside me, and even with my blurry, waterlogged vision, I knew that face.

My heart skipped a beat. Lane.

He pulled off his cap and goggles with a groan, shaking out his hair. I just stared, amazed that he was here, of all places. Of course, he would be here. My pulse quickened as I gawked, feeling my face heat up. What was he doing here?

"Becca?" His voice pulled me out of my daze, and I blinked up at him, suddenly self-conscious.

"Lane... what are you doing here?" My voice came out more breathless than I intended.

He shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Swimming, obviously."

I rolled my eyes again, but I couldn't hide the smile that tugged at my lips. "Yeah, I can see that."

For a moment, we just looked at each other, the tension in the air palpable. I felt a strange mix of emotions—relief that he was here, anxiety that I couldn't escape him even at the pool, and something else... something I couldn't quite name.

"Care for a race?" he asked, his tone teasing, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach flip.

I hesitated, knowing that whatever this was, it wasn't just about swimming. But I nodded anyway, because how could I say no? Not to him.

"Alright," I said, pulling my cap back on, my fingers trembling slightly. "You're on."

He grinned, and I felt that familiar rush of excitement, the kind only he could bring out in me. "Don't hold back, Rebecca. I won't go easy on you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I shot back, trying to match his confidence.

As we lined up on the diving blocks, I stole a glance at him. Lane was focused, determined. And in that moment, I knew—no matter what happened, I was in deep. Maybe too deep.