Between The Lines

Chapter 146: Prove It

Lane's POV (1st Person):

I closed the front door behind me, the sound echoing in the quiet night. Dinner was over, but her father's words were still playing in my head, over and over like a broken record.

Prove it.

I wanted to—God, I wanted to—but how? How could I prove to him that I was serious about Rebecca, that this wasn't just some fleeting thing? He didn't know us, didn't see what we had.

I walked down the front steps, stuffing my hands in my pockets, trying to shake off the weight of the night. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow across the yard. The air was cool, almost refreshing after the tense dinner inside. I was halfway to my car when I heard the front door creak open behind me.

"Lane?"

I froze at the sound of Rebecca's voice, and when I turned, she was standing there, framed by the light spilling out of the house. Her eyes found mine, and for a moment, everything else faded—the doubts, the pressure, her father's threat. It was just her. Just us.

She stepped out, closing the door quietly behind her, and made her way down the steps toward me. The light breeze caught her hair, the strands blowing slightly, and even in the dim light, she looked like the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I waited for her at the bottom, my hands still buried in my pockets, unsure of what she was going to say.

She stopped in front of me, her eyes searching mine. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, trying to give her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

But she wasn't buying it. Rebecca always saw through me. "You're thinking about what he said, aren't you?" Her voice was gentle, but there was an edge to it, like she was bracing herself for what I might say.

I nodded, my hands tightening into fists inside my pockets. "It's just... prove it," I said, shaking my head. "Like, what does that even mean? I know he's your father, and I get that he's trying to protect you, but... I don't know how to prove that I'm serious about us."

She stepped closer, her hand brushing my arm. "Lane, you don't have to prove anything to him," she said, her voice low but firm. "I know what we have. I know how serious you are. That's all that matters."

I looked down at her, the moonlight catching her features, and I felt my chest tighten. "But I want him to know too. I want him to see what I see when I look at you. I want him to realize that I'm not going anywhere."

Rebecca smiled, a small, soft smile, and reached up to brush her fingers lightly against my cheek. The touch was so gentle, yet it sent a warmth through me. "He'll come around," she said, her voice almost a whisper now. "And if he doesn't... then that's on him. But it doesn't change what we have."

For a moment, we just stood there in the quiet night, the only sound the soft rustling of the trees in the breeze. She was so close now, her hand still resting on my cheek, and all I wanted to do was pull her into my arms. But I didn't—not yet. Instead, I reached up and gently covered her hand with mine, holding it there against my face.

"I don't want you to have to choose between me and your family," I said quietly, the weight of it settling between us.

Rebecca's eyes softened, and she shook her head. "I'm not choosing, Lane. I already chose you. A long time ago."

Her words hit me deep, and before I could stop myself, I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her. She fit perfectly against me, her head resting against my chest as we stood there under the stars. I buried my face in her hair, breathing her in, feeling the tension from the night slowly melt away.