Between The Lines

Chapter 19: Caught In the Act of Romance

Third Person:

As Rebecca sat in Mr. Montgomery's class, finishing her work early, she couldn't resist the temptation of diving into the pages of her steamy romance novel. Her cheeks flushed as she read the tantalising lines describing the passionate encounter between the characters:

"His touch sent shivers down her spine, igniting a fire within her that she had never felt before. The intensity of their connection left her breathless, lost in a world of desire and surrender."

Lost in the captivating story, Rebecca was startled by Mr. Montgomery's voice breaking through her reverie. With a jolt, she realized that she had been so engrossed in her book that she hadn't noticed the passing time. As he questioned her about her seemingly more captivating distraction, panic set in.

Quickly sliding her bookmark into place, Rebecca snapped the book shut just as Mr. Montgomery asked to see what had captured her attention. The color drained from her face as she handed him the book, hoping that he wouldn't flip to the page that had left her feeling both embarrassed and exhilarated.

Mr. Montgomery held the book gingerously, his eyes scanning the cover before opening it to the page Rebecca had hastily closed. His face paled as he read the explicit passage, and an awkward silence filled the room. The other students, oblivious to the situation, continued their work, unaware of the tension unfolding between Rebecca and their teacher.

"Uh, Rebecca," Mr. Montgomery began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Could you... explain why this book seems to be more interesting than my class?" His question was more of a statement, as he struggled to find the right words.

Rebecca's heart raced as she stammered, "I, uh, it's just... a friend's book, and I was, uhm, waiting for them to finish with it." She tried to sound convincing, but her words came out in a jumbled mess.

As Mr. Montgomery's eyes scanned the page again, his face turned a deep shade of red. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "Uh, Rebecca, I think it would be best if you return this book to your friend immediately. And please, try to focus on the class next time."

With that, he handed the book back to her, his discomfort evident. Rebecca, feeling relieved yet mortified, nodded and quickly shoved the book into her bag. She couldn't help but wonder what he had read and how it had affected him. As she glanced up, she noticed Mr. Montgomery's eyes darting away, avoiding her gaze.

The rest of the class proceeded in an uneasy silence, with Rebecca feeling the weight of her embarrassing moment. She couldn't wait for the bell to ring, eager to escape the classroom and the memory of her awkward encounter with her teacher.