Between The Lines

Chapter 119: The Unspoken Truth

Lane's POV

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another endless day. Lane leaned back in his chair, exhaustion weighing heavy on his shoulders. His mind was still spinning from his last class, the one where Rebecca had been sitting at the back, avoiding his gaze. She hadn't said a word, hadn't given him any of her usual sarcastic remarks. Just... silence. And it was killing him.

He couldn't get the image of her bruises out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, her ribs, the subtle way she winced when she moved. He should have done more. Confronted her father, called someone—anyone. But what good would it have done? The lines were blurred, and his hands were tied.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. It was too soon for detention, and the students should have cleared the halls by now. He frowned and stood up, opening the door.

Matt stood there, his face drawn, his eyes darker than Lane had ever seen them.

"Matt?" Lane said, surprise edging into his voice. "What are you doing here?"

Matt stepped into the room without a word, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Lane could tell something was off immediately—the tension in Matt's shoulders, the way he didn't meet Lane's eyes.

"It's Mom," Matt finally said, his voice low, almost broken. "She's... she's sick. Really sick."

Lane felt the floor shift beneath him. "What are you talking about? Sick how?"

"They found her this morning. She collapsed. Dad called me... I came as soon as I could."

Lane's stomach twisted, a cold pit of dread forming deep inside him. His mother, the one person who had always been steady, strong, the center of their family... was in trouble.

"How bad is it?" Lane asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

Matt swallowed, his jaw clenching as he tried to keep his composure. "The doctors think it's cancer. Advanced. They're running tests, but... it's not looking good."

Lane took a step back, the room spinning. Cancer. His mind raced, unable to process the weight of what Matt was saying.

"I should've been there," Lane muttered, guilt rising in his chest. "I should've—"

"Lane," Matt interrupted, his voice firm but filled with unspoken emotion. "You didn't know. None of us did."

But that didn't make it any easier. Lane's head fell into his hands, overwhelmed by the tidal wave of emotion crashing over him. The stress of everything—the situation with Rebecca, the guilt he carried over his feelings for her, and now this—his mother's life hanging in the balance.

"Where is she?" Lane asked quietly, his voice barely a whisper.

"Hospital," Matt said, finally meeting his brother's gaze. "We should go. Now."

Lane nodded, standing shakily to his feet. Everything in him screamed that he needed to be there, for his mother, for his family. But then, his mind flickered back to Rebecca—the mess she was in, the danger she might be in. He couldn't just leave her.

"Give me a minute," Lane said, grabbing his coat. He moved towards the door, but stopped, his thoughts colliding. "Matt..."

Matt, seeing the inner turmoil on Lane's face, frowned. "What?"

"I don't know what to do," Lane admitted, his voice cracking. "About everything. Rebecca... she's in trouble, I can't just—"

"You're going to need to choose, Lane," Matt said, his voice harsh but filled with concern. "You can't keep splitting yourself between her and everything else."