Beyond the Lines

Chapter 10: In the Zone.

Rebecca's POV (1st Person):

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window, but it was the warmth beside me that really caught my attention. 

Lane was still asleep, one arm draped over my waist, his face relaxed, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. I smiled to myself, carefully shifting so I wouldn't wake him.

Last night had been exactly what I needed. 

Just us. No pressure, no classes, no Whitlock lurking in the back of my mind.

I glanced over at my phone. There was a message from Jenna, asking if we were still on for studying later. With a groan, I remembered that life had to go on, even with Lane here.

I quietly slipped out of bed, grabbing my clothes and tiptoeing out of the room.

 After getting ready, I checked myself in the mirror. My hair was still a bit messy, and I had that 'just woke up' look, but it wasn't like Jenna or anyone else was going to care. 

Lane could sleep a little longer.

As I left the dorm, I couldn't help but think about how things were starting to feel different. 

Not just with Lane but everything—school, my professors, the pressure of exams. Whitlock's presence was starting to get to me more than I wanted to admit.

 I shook my head, trying to push it aside as I headed to the library to meet Jenna.

When I got there, Jenna was already sitting at a table in the back, her face buried in her notes. 

Typical. 

I slid into the chair across from her, letting out a dramatic sigh as I set my stuff down.

"You're late," she said without looking up.

"You're obsessed," I shot back, grinning.

She finally glanced up, giving me a once-over before smirking. "Have fun last night?"

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my face. "Yeah, it was nice. We went out to dinner, just relaxed."

"And?" She wiggled her eyebrows, leaning in closer. "Did you...?"

"Jenna!" I hissed, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "It's not like that. We just caught up, that's all."

"Right." She gave me a knowing look, clearly not convinced. "So when are you telling him about the other guy?"

I froze, the grin fading from my face. "What are you talking about?"

She snorted, flipping through her notes. 

"You know what I mean. That professor who's been giving you a hard time. You've been talking about him a lot lately."

I blinked, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. "It's not like that. Whitlock is just... annoying. He gets under my skin."

Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Annoying. Just like how you said Lane was annoying when you first met him."

"That's completely different," I mumbled, looking away.

"Is it though?" She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Listen, Becca, I know you and Lane are solid, but if this guy is bothering you that much, you need to deal with it."

I clenched my jaw, not wanting to admit that she might be right. 

Whitlock was starting to become more than just a nuisance. The way he looked at me during lectures, the way he seemed to challenge me at every turn—it wasn't normal.