Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMaA’s POV

"Girl, where have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks!"Tiff exclaimed dramatically.

Normally I would call her out for being a drama queen, but she wasn’t completely wrong this time.

Yes, I had been MIA, missing in action, for the past couple of days and I tell my friends where I went.

Not unless I wanted to be interrogated by the FBI.

‘Because yes, I was spending a lot of time with Mr.Hayes —I mean, lan.

"Sorry, I’m just a little busy with...my art portfolio,"I said as I closed my lockers shut.

The last period bell hand rang, but my friends had stopped me before I could leave school premises.

"That thing’s not due until the end of the school year.We still have, like eight months,"Carrie argued.

"I know, but I’ve been feeling very inspired lately.I wanna make sure I got a kickass portfolio, I might even use it for my college application,"

This part wasn't a lie.Spending a lot of time with my art teacher had its benefits.

Any free time I had in school, I'd spend it in the art studio working on my...craft.

After school hours, when I wasn’t in swim practice or cheerleading, I'd head over to lan’s apartment and we'd make more...art.

“Okay,"Tiff eyed me cautiously, 

"You do seem surprisingly happy.You're not hiding anything from us, are you? ‘Cause the last time we saw you was during the dance ar(d you didn't seem so well—"

"That was in the past," I cut her off quickly.

"After the dance, I did some soul searching and now I’ve completely turned over a new leaf,"  Tiff and Carrie exchanged a look before studying my face even further, trying to detect if I was lying."Guys, I'm serious.I'm so over Zach already and I just wanna work on myself for now.Believe me,"

I said reassuringly.

"Well, okay, in that case, I know you don’t have swim or cheerleading today.What do you say we head to the mall?"Carrie asked.

"Oh...actually, I can’t.I promised my mom I'd help her run some errands,"

I paused and noted the disappointed faces of my friends, "But we can hang out on the weekend?"

"Alright, it's a date.Don’t bail on us," Tiff and Carrie agreed finally.

"Absolutely.Now I gotta go.My, uh, mom’s waiting.See you guys"

I waved my hands quickly and disappeared out of the door in a flash.

School was over for the day and I couldn't be more excited. lan had invited me over to his place and he was going to make dinner.It still felt surreal to call him by that name.

I found myself blushing every time I said it out loud.I needed to work on that.

I arrived at his door at exactly 7 PM.

I was wearing my yellow summer dress, even though it was definitely fall, but I just wanted to look cute.

He opened the door and greeted me with his gorgeous mega-watt smile, that smile alone could send me into puddles.

He kissed my cheek, ushered me in, and took my coat.

was the first thing I noticed as soon

like pasta,"he said as he hanged my

after him instinctively.  "I

replied, "I'm biased like

at my response and went

was playing smooth jazz and a candle was burning in

bottle of wine, and a bottle of grape juice I assumed

juice? How romantic,"I rolled my eyes at him and

went to pull the chair nearby instead, gesturing for me to sit

complied and took

across from and started

me, I can handle

as I lifted my empty glass, waiting for him to pour the wine, but he

you can.But, I can’t.I can barely handle you sober,"he grinned and

glass and

raised my grape juice and

must admit, lan could make a mean

myself, but I noticed he was being a little

as I was

"Everything okay?"I asked.

"So, how’s school?"he asked.

said it at almost

a second and noted the awkwardness, before stifling a

gonna ask me about

an eyebrow at him and he just shrugged, "School is just school, I mean

what I

mean? You're being so formal today, I don’t

just," he paused for a moment before continuing,"I

wasI being a bit too serious

I cocked my head to

we can skip dinner and

make a funny comeback, but he said nothing this time.His gaze was still deadly serious.I decided to come even bolder, I let my feet graze his leg from

his tone was

"What?"

back to the

Did I do something?"I

little bit,"he said as he reached for my hand, caressing my skin with his thumb and he made all the

think we need it 7 take it slow,"I looked up at

genuine and gentle, and it took

was my fourth time in his apartment and I never saw him like

and

is this side of him?

last,"he said again and I felt my heart just leaped

fine," I breathed, "We can talk.What do

to rake his lush jet-black hair, "Like,

couldn't help but smile, "You're really bad at small talk, you

deep breath and

done this

to girls?"I asked

pausing for a beat before saying, "I never

eyes widened as I gaped at him, waiting

met anyone I wanted to get to know like this.Until