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.

first thing I noticed as soon as I got

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

instinctively.  "I like evérything

"I'm

my response and went to set the food on the

and a candle was burning in the middle of

bottle of grape juice I assumed

my eyes at him and he

to pull the chair nearby instead, gesturing

and took

and started pouring the

I can handle

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

know you can.But, I can’t.I can barely handle

his glass

I raised my grape juice

on dinner and I must admit, lan could make a mean pasta

was enjoying myself, but I noticed

I was eating, and he was barely

"Everything okay?"I asked.

"So, how’s school?"he asked.

it at

noted the

You're gonna ask me about

at him and he just shrugged, "School is just

not what I meant,"he

so formal today, I don’t

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

bit too serious and I felt a

on my lip, I cocked my head to

skip dinner and get

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

scolded, his

"What?"

leg fell back to the floor and I

Did I do something?"I asked

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

moving so fast, I think we need it 7

being very genuine and gentle, and it took me

was my fourth time in his apartment and I never

playful, flirty, and one might even

this side of him?

said again and I felt my heart just leaped

I breathed, "We can

his lush jet-black hair,

help but smile, "You're really

took a deep breath and

done this before,"he

Talk to girls?"I asked in

pausing for a beat before saying, "I never did

as I gaped at him, waiting for him

I wanted to get to