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 as I got into the living

like pasta,"he said as he hanged my coat

him instinctively. 

"I'm biased

chuckled at my response and went to set the food on the

record player was playing smooth jazz and a candle was burning in the middle of

wine, and a bottle of grape juice I assumed he

my eyes at him and

the chair nearby instead, gesturing

complied and took

from and started pouring

me, I can handle

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

can barely handle you sober,"he grinned and I just gaped at

raised his glass and said,

raised my grape juice and replied,

admit,

noticed he was being

me as I was eating, and he was barely touching his

"Everything okay?"I asked.

"So, how’s school?"he asked.

at

and noted the awkwardness, before stifling a

You're gonna ask me

shrugged, "School

not what

do you mean? You're being so formal today,

he paused for a moment before continuing,"I just

a bit too serious and

I cocked my head to the side and gave him a playful

dinner

deadly serious.I decided to come even bolder, I let my feet graze

scolded, his

"What?"

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

wrong? Did I do something?"I

you a little bit,"he said as he reached for my hand, caressing

fast, I think we need it 7 take

and gentle, and it

his apartment

playful, flirty, and one

this side of him?

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

"We can talk.What do you

don’t know,"his hand went to rake his lush jet-black hair, "Like, what's

smile, "You're really

a deep breath

done this before,"he

Talk to girls?"I asked in

to know someone,"he replied, pausing for a beat before saying, "I never did the

at him, waiting for him

wanted to get to know