Lane's POV:(1st Person):
The next day, I dragged myself out of bed, feeling the weight of my responsibilities settling on my shoulders. I had a job to do, and no matter how messed up things were, I had to face it. After a quick shower, I dressed in a crisp shirt and slacks, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Buddy watched me with his soulful eyes, sensing my unease.
"Wish me luck, boy," I said, patting his head before heading out the door.
The drive to school was a blur, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Rebecca. I knew I had to focus, to push those thoughts aside and be the teacher my students needed me to be.
As I walked into the classroom, a wave of whispers and giggles greeted me. It was no secret that the girls in my English class often gawked at me, their eyes lingering a bit too long. Today was no different. I could feel their stares as I set my bag down and turned to face them.
"Good morning, everyone," I said, forcing a smile. "Today, we're going to continue our discussion on Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'."
A collective sigh rippled through the room, and I noticed several of the girls exchanging excited glances. I tried to ignore it, focusing on the lesson at hand.
"As we discussed last time, Shakespeare uses various literary devices to convey the intensity of Romeo and Juliet's love. Can anyone give me an example of a metaphor used in the play?"
Several hands shot up, and I pointed to one of the girls in the front row. She blushed deeply as she stood up to answer.
"In Act 2, Scene 2, Romeo says, 'Juliet is the sun.' It's a metaphor that shows how essential she is to him, like the sun is to the earth."
"Excellent," I said, nodding approvingly. "Shakespeare often uses metaphors to deepen our understanding of the characters' emotions."
As the lesson progressed, I moved around the room, trying to engage with the students and keep their attention on the material. But it was hard to ignore the way their eyes followed me, the way their whispers grew louder whenever I got too close.
Despite the distractions, I managed to steer the class through a lively discussion on the themes of love and fate in 'Romeo and Juliet'. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Rebecca, to the way she had looked at me yesterday, to the touch of her skin against mine.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, I felt a wave of relief. The students filed out, their chatter filling the hallway, leaving me alone in the classroom. I sank into my chair, running a hand through my hair.
I needed to get a grip. This was getting out of hand.
But as much as I tried to push it aside, the memory of Rebecca's touch, her scent, her voice, kept pulling me back. I couldn't deny the chemistry between us, no matter how wrong it was.
I had to find a way to deal with this, to find a balance between my responsibilities and the overwhelming feelings that threatened to consume me. But how?
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Rebecca entered the classroom, her anger palpable as she avoided my gaze. She walked stiffly to her seat, her emotions clearly getting the better of her. Oliver came in shortly after, sitting down beside her.
"Hey, Charlotte's away sick today," Oliver said, trying to engage her.
Rebecca just nodded, placing her forehead on the desk in a gesture of frustration. Oliver glanced at her with concern before pulling out his phone, giving her some space.
YOU ARE READING
Between The Lines
RomanceI took my usual seat in the back corner, far away from the line of fire that always seemed to follow Mr. Montgomery's gaze. I tried to disappear into the safety of my textbook, but his piercing blue eyes seemed to find me anyway, as if daring me to...
