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

"Hey, you,"

said over the

and fine,

heard about? You're not attending parent

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an archaic

meet in person when you can basically do

chuckled as if he was joking, but I

sighed and paused for a beat before

Fine.

parent teacher conferences because I don’t know

about

don't wanna do this over the phone.Will

tell me

"Every little detail,"

see you in a

away, I made my way back to

on and on about

Carrie

The art

change of topic piqued my

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

a contract for two years but

such

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

in the world, "My theory is that it's probably because of

"What do you mean?"

afraid that he might be on to

right? She probably broke his heart or

let

wasn't relieved,

went on one date! And she

to stop

and

Let’s go check

little bit

and led me out

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

it's really happening? Is Mr.Hayes really quitting?"she

"I think so,"

did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

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

really like him

at least this way you two could be

said with

talk, Tiff and I went around looking

I couldn't help but be reminded of

sacrifice so

to sacrifice anything to be

wanted him to have everything

give up teaching, his job, his

would that even be worth it?

and parent teacher conferences, I told my parents I was hanging out with Tiff and

making way to lan’s apartment

his normal sleeping

and it looked like he had been sending a

your day?"he greeted me with a quick

at a bunch of schools.How about

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

paced around the

to play

"lan, what's going on?"

and asked point blankly , ‘Why did you ditch parent teacher conferences? And why don’t you wanna meet my

wanna meet your parents.But not

crossed my arms and raised

does that even mean? "I'm serious

I’m serious about us.

future

as your teacher and someday we tell them that we're dating, how do you

That would be confusing.

a good

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

I asked cautiously.

gentleman caller, whatever

chuckled and I couldn't help

step towards me

tilted my chin up and

and he coaxed me into a long, tender

something was off

it? What’s with

slightly

thinking about this all day

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

you quitting your job, throwing away your