Between The Lines

Chapter 129: I mean you're my teacher-

CONTINUED: 

Rebecca's POV (1st Person):

"I'm not," I protested, even though we both knew it was a lie. I couldn't help it, though. How was I supposed to think straight when he looked at me like that?

He smirked, that familiar teasing glint in his eye. "Whatever you say."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, and he leaned back slightly, giving me space to breathe, but that tension—that electricity—was still there, crackling between us.

I knew we only had this one night, and it made everything feel more intense. Every glance, every touch, every moment together—it felt like I needed to memorize it, savor it before it slipped away.

"I have this whole list of things I wanted to do tonight," I blurted out, shifting my legs to sit up straighter.

His eyebrows raised in amusement. "A list?"

"Yeah, a list. You know, to make the most of the night..." I trailed off, feeling a little ridiculous now that I'd said it out loud. "I mean, we don't get many nights like this, so I thought—"

"You don't need a list, Becks." Lane cut me off, his tone softening as he reached over, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I just want to be with you. That's enough."

My heart skipped a beat at the simplicity of his words, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered. And maybe that's what made me nervous. This whole thing between us—it was so much, and sometimes it felt too big for me to hold onto. But then there was him, grounding me, making me feel like everything would be okay as long as he was around.

"How did this even happen?" I asked, more to myself than to him, but he heard me.

His eyes softened, and for a second, the teasing was gone, replaced by something deeper. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're my teacher," I said quietly, glancing down at my hands in my lap. "This... us... how is this even a thing?"

There was a pause, and then he leaned forward, his voice low and serious. "Because I couldn't help it. Because every time I saw you, I wanted more. I still want more."

I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. There was something in the way he said it, like he wasn't just talking about the present—he was talking about the future, too. And that terrified me.

"I— I need to go to the bathroom," I mumbled, standing up too quickly, needing a moment to clear my head.

Lane watched me with a concerned look, but he didn't stop me as I hurried to the bathroom. Once inside, I leaned against the door, taking a deep breath. This was all too much. He was too much. The way he cared about me, the way he talked about wanting more—it made me feel both exhilarated and terrified.

After splashing some water on my face, I wandered out of the bathroom, but my feet carried me further than I intended—straight into Lane's room. I wasn't snooping, not really. I was just curious. His room was neat, almost too neat for a guy. The bed was made, and there wasn't much lying around, except for a few books and papers on his desk.

But then my eyes landed on something—his calendar, hanging on the wall. I stepped closer, my heart skipping a beat when I saw the days marked off. He was counting down the days until my graduation. Only 67 days left.

My stomach twisted. He was literally counting the days until we didn't have to sneak around anymore, until we could be together openly. But there was something else on the calendar, circled in red, just a few weeks away.