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.

thing I noticed as

like pasta,"he said as he hanged my coat on the rack and

him instinctively.  "I

"I'm biased

at my response and went to

player was playing smooth jazz and a candle was

bottle of grape juice I

eyes at him and

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

and

sat across from and started pouring the

me, I can handle

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

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

raised his glass

I raised my grape juice and replied,

and I must admit, lan could make a mean pasta

but I noticed he was

as I was eating, and he was barely touching

"Everything okay?"I asked.

"So, how’s school?"he asked.

it at almost

second and noted the awkwardness, before stifling a

gonna ask

just shrugged, "School is just school, I mean

not what I meant,"he

do you mean? You're being so formal today, I don’t understand what's going

just," he paused for a moment before continuing,"I just wanna have some

a bit too serious and I felt a

my head to the side and gave him

can skip dinner

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 under the table

scolded, his

"What?"

please,"My leg fell back to the floor and I let out

wrong? Did I do something?"I asked

to you, okay? Get to know you a little bit,"he said as he reached for my hand, caressing my skin

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

genuine and gentle, and it took me by

fourth time in his apartment and I never saw

playful, flirty, and

is this side of him?

Emma.I want us to last,"he said again and I felt

"We can talk.What do you wanna

hand went to rake his lush jet-black hair, "Like, what's your

really bad at small talk, you know

a deep

know.I've never done this before,"he

what? Talk to girls?"I asked in

for a beat before

as I gaped at him, waiting

anyone I wanted to get to know like this.Until