★★★TOP 50 WATTPAD ROMANCE NOVEL★★★
He's her English teacher and her priest... what happens when they fall hopelessly in love? A sexy, forbidden, true love romance between an American student and a Catholic priest.
[RECAP: It's finally time for the school performance of The Crucible...]
The crackle. It was the feeling that Leonie always got before a production, even when she only had a minor role.
It was the hushed darkness behind the curtains off stage. The golden dazzle of the lights illuminating the set. The black void of the audience as one stepped out, with only a few pale faces visible in the front row.
This time, she was one of the stars. Nerves in her stomach combined with adrenalin, and the sudden panic that she would forget every line on stage.
Leonie did what she always did. She quelled any fears by simply casting herself away and becoming the role. She was Abigail. She let the girl of three centuries ago flow into her veins and take her over.
It made her performance electrifying, which lifted the whole cast. Gabriel, barely daring to breathe as he watched her, knew that she was headed for great things. He was sure she could have walked the scholarship if she had felt able to apply. This made him feel even worse for being the reason she had had to withdraw.
He wondered if it was fair to her, getting her to take on even more risk by spending a week with him. Giving her up would be the wisest and most noble thing to do.
But his flesh and his spirt were weak. He had fallen for her, completely. He wanted to be with her.
He watched her, acting as though possessed in the court scene. Whipping up the other girls into hysteria, throwing accusations of witchcraft around. And never naming John Proctor.
What was behind all that? It was so long ago, lost in history now. The full truth could never be known.
Gabriel was so wrapped up in Leonie's performance that he forgot to even notice whether the play ended correctly. He was past caring about Suki Laverne and her stupid last line. Even if she didn't say it, who would notice? The overall play had been so powerful, such an amazing production for a school performance, that the details faded away.
But all the performers excelled that night and the curtain came down to thunderous applause. The cast took several bows, Leonie holding hands with Mercy and the girl who played the Reverend Hale, with Suki on Mercy's other side. They were all beaming with joy and relief, for which Gabriel couldn't blame them. Acting as they had all done took courage and stamina. They were simultaneously elated and exhausted.
As was he.
Afterwards there was a reception. It was more of a formal affair than a regular cast party, since many parents were in attendance and of course all the staff were around. So the girls had to remain on their best behaviour rather than let their hair down.
"That was simply marvellous!" one parent told Gabriel. He had been rapidly surrounded by various mothers and fathers, interested in meeting the young priest who had directed the production. Gabriel thanked the person and cast a glance around for Leonie. He wanted to go and congratulate her but with Suki Laverne lurking around, it seemed too risky.
He saw Leonie standing with a group of girls. He managed to catch her eye and give her a quick smile which she returned. She only had to look at him and his body reacted. Largely because he was thinking about getting her alone for a week. He couldn't wait for the night to be over so they could be together.
Leonie had no one at the reception. It was way too far for her parents to have come, and her grandmother had chosen not to attend. She didn't approve of acting as a school or career pursuit. Although she hadn't expected her grandmother to come, Leonie was still dejected by her absence. It didn't bode well for getting her support to attend drama school.
But more importantly, she would have liked at least some friend or relation there. It was kind of lonely having no one to support her. It made her feel far from home.
Figgy introduced her to her parents, and her uncle Hugh, who was not actually a relation but some kind of godfather or family friend. He was tall, with white hair and white eyebrows, and a pleasant, intelligent demeanour. He asked Leonie where she was from, and what her plans were.
"I'd love to be a professional actress one day," she told him. "I know how hard that will be, but I guess it's my dream."
"If you work hard at anything, you've got the best chance of succeeding," Hugh said, and Figgy's parents agreed.
"We thought you did very well, dear. Some of the scenes were quite hair raising, weren't they?" Figgy's mother said.
As it was already night time and a long drive back to their home in Somerset, Figgy's parents were staying overnight at a hotel in the nearest town. They would then drive back the following morning, which was when the rest of the school went home as well.
One more night. Leonie almost felt she could burst just thinking about how she was going to get through the next twelve hours.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Steamy stuff* is coming soon... don't forget to add the Intimate Scenes book to your library, so you get the updates!
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