Between The Lines

Chapter 118: Tick- Tock

Rebecca's POV:

The ticking of the classroom clock felt louder than ever today. Each second dragged on, pulling her deeper into the restless thoughts she tried so hard to bury. She scribbled aimlessly in her notebook, her pen dragging over words she barely understood. School had become nothing more than background noise, a blur of faces and lectures she didn't care about.

But she cared about him.

Lane stood at the front of the room, his voice carrying through the air, calm and collected. It didn't waver or falter, even though she knew—she knew how much he was hurting. She could see it in the way his jaw tightened when she avoided his gaze, in the small tremor of his hands when he held a paper too long. She forced herself to look away from him, focusing on the textbook in front of her. The words swam together.

This was how it had to be. She had promised her dad. She had promised herself. And every time she broke that promise—every time she let Lane back in—she knew the consequences. But keeping him out was destroying her.

She stared down at her desk, pretending to copy the notes on the board. Her hands shook slightly as she pressed her pen harder than necessary into the paper, trying to drown out the thoughts that threatened to consume her. She hated this. She hated the constant push and pull inside her. She hated that she had to pretend like he didn't matter.

But he mattered too much.

"Rebecca," his voice broke through her haze, startling her. She looked up instinctively, meeting his eyes for the first time in days. There it was—the pain she had been trying to avoid. It was etched into the lines of his face, his expression so much harder than it used to be.

"Yes?" she forced out, her voice more fragile than she intended.

His eyes lingered on her for a moment, searching, pleading for something—anything—but she couldn't give it to him. She wouldn't. Not now. He looked away, clearing his throat as if regaining composure.

"I'll need those reports on my desk by the end of the day," he said, turning his back to the class as he wrote something on the board.

Rebecca let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, her heart pounding in her chest. It wasn't just the words—it was the way he said them, the weight behind them. Every small interaction felt like a battle she was losing.

She glanced around the room, desperate to focus on something—anything—other than Lane. Her eyes caught on Ryan. He was nice enough, always offering a smile, and she couldn't help but envy how easygoing he seemed. She found herself smiling at him, even though her heart wasn't in it. It was something to distract herself with.

Lane's voice cut through her thoughts again, this time sharper. "Rebecca, see me after class."

Her stomach dropped. She knew what was coming.

After Class

The bell rang, and everyone shuffled out of the room, but Rebecca stayed frozen in her seat. She could feel Lane's eyes on her, but she refused to meet them. When the last student left, the door clicked shut, and silence filled the room.

She slowly stood, gathering her things, her hands trembling as she made her way to his desk. The air felt thick between them, heavy with all the words they weren't saying.

"Why?" he asked, his voice low and strained.

She didn't answer. What was she supposed to say? That she hated every second of ignoring him? That the promise she made to her father was slowly killing her?

"Is this it?" Lane's voice cracked, and for the first time, she could hear how desperate he was. "Is this how it's going to be? You pretending I don't exist?"