Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA's POV 

"Don't forget to check out Duke, Rice, and Vanderbilt,"

Mom said as we made our way through the booths at the school’s college fair.

"Oh yes, I heard Vanderbilt's got a strong liberal arts program,"

Dad nodded in agreement.

The school’s holding a college fair this Saturday, along with parent teacher conferences.

All the junior students are required, or as they say, encouraged to attend the college fair.

I wasn’t complaining though.

I wanted to spend my precious Saturday looking through colleges all around the country.

The only good thing about it was at least my best friends had to do it too.

I spotted Tiff and Carrie over at the University of Florida’s booth, and I knew what to do next.

"Okay, I got it.You two go meet my teachers and hear about what a great student I am.I’m gonna catch up with Tiff and Carrie,"

I said, waving my parents away.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting your teachers.Especially your AP art teacher, Mr.Hayes,"mom said and I quickly turned back.

"What? Why?"

"You worked so hard on his class.

You spent almost every day after school working on your art portfolio.

He must have nice things to say about you, I wanna hear about it all,"

she said as she turned to her heels towards the art room.

"Oh, you don't have to —"

"The line at Duke is empty.Go, go check out the schools.We'll regroup here in an hour,"

Dad shooed me as he walked off with mom.

My parents are meeting...my boyfriend.

At parent teacher conferences.

Oh crap.

Making my way over to Tiff and Carrie, I sighed dramatically as I pushed past the row of kids.

Tiff and Carrie turned to see me and they immediately knew something was up.

"What's going on?"Carrie asked.

"My parents are meeting Mr.Hayes.I totally forgot about that.I am so screwed,"

"Don't worry about it.I’m sure he can handle your parents just fine,"

Tiff replied.

"Actually, you don’t have to worry at all,"Carrie added, "

My parents went by earlier.

They wanted to see my art teacher too, but he wasn’t there.

Something about a personal emergency.

He’s doing his conferences with parents via email,"

"Oh...that’s very smart of him,"

It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"See? He’s a smart guy.He’s handling it,"

Tiff said as she grabbed a few brochures from the University of Florida.

"In the meantime, I think you should check this out,"  "The University of Florida’s a total party school,"

Mark chimed in suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.

"Hey, babe.Did you see Rice and Duke already?"

Carrie greeted him.

"Yeah, you guys should see it.

Duke has the best engineering program—"

Mark was about to ramble on this topic for the next ten minutes, I could just tell.

"I have to make a call, I'll be right back,"

I said to Tiff and Carrie before slipping away from the crowd.

I found an empty, cozy spot at the end of the hallway and I dialed Ian's number.

rang for a few times before he

"Hey, you,"

over the

sounded healthy and fine, I was

that I heard

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an archaic

meet in person when you can basically

he was joking, but I could tell something

on.He sighed and paused for a beat

Fine.

teacher conferences because I don’t know what I'll do

about

I don't wanna do this over the phone.Will you come over after you're

tell me

"Every little detail,"

you in a few

I made

going on and on about

had a bored look on her face but Carrie watched him as if he was a sight to

heard? The art

change of topic

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

some teachers talking about it.Apparently, he signed a contract for two years but suddenly he

that such

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

in the world, "My theory

"What do you mean?"

asked again, afraid that he might be on to

She probably broke

and Carrie let

I wasn't relieved, I was

went on one date!

nudged my elbow to

quickly recovered and said, "Never

Let’s go check it

a little bit too loud

my arm quickly and led me out of

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

it's really happening? Is Mr.Hayes really

"I think so,"

he did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

going all out,"she paused for a moment before saying, "He must

I really like

at least this way you two could be

said with

I went around looking

should be thinking about colleges, but I couldn't

so much..."I

wished he didn't have to

have

teaching, his job, his career...all for a

even be

and parent teacher conferences, I told my parents I was

I was making way to lan’s apartment

I got there, lan was still in his normal sleeping clothes, no shirts and a pair

was on and it looked like he had been sending a bunch

how was your day?"he greeted me with a quick kiss on my

looked at a bunch

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

paced around the room

pretended to play

"lan, what's going on?"

did you ditch parent teacher conferences? And

your parents.But not like this,

 I crossed my arms and

does that even mean?

I’m serious about us.

see my future with us

me now as your teacher and someday

That would be confusing.

got a good

did it because you didn’t wanna meet my parents as my teacher..but as

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever

chuckled and I

towards me

chin up and his face leaned

and he coaxed me into a long, tender

pulled away, he noticed something was off and he narrowed his eyes

it? What’s with that look on

away slightly and

about this all day

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

you quitting your