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 finally

"Hey, you,"

said over

and fine, I

emergency that I heard about? You're not attending parent teacher

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

an

person when you can

if he was joking, but I could tell something was

what’s going on,"I pressed on.He sighed and paused for a

Fine.

conferences because I don’t know what I'll do if I have to see

about meeting

do this over the phone.Will you come

you'll tell me

"Every little detail,"

in a few

putting my phone away, I made my

still going on and

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

have you heard? The art teacher, Mr.Hayes is resigning

change of topic piqued

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

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

that such

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

the most obvious thing in the world,

"What do you mean?"

that he might be

date Ms.Diaz, right? She probably

and Carrie let out a

I wasn't relieved,

on one date! And

nudged my elbow to stop me

recovered and said, "Never

It's NYU! Let’s

a little bit too loud

my arm quickly and led me

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

really happening? Is Mr.Hayes really quitting?"she

"I think so,"

did it

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

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

I really

but hey, at least this way you

said with

and I went around looking

be thinking about colleges, but I couldn't help

has to sacrifice so much..."I

he didn't have to sacrifice

wanted him to have everything he ever

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

even be

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

of course, I was making

still in his normal sleeping clothes, no shirts and a pair of

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

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

looked at a bunch of schools.How about

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

paced

pretended to

"lan, what's going on?"

you ditch parent teacher conferences? And why don’t you

your parents.But not

crossed my arms and

mean? "I'm

I’m serious about us.

my future

for a moment before saying, "But if your parents meet me now as your teacher

That would be confusing.

got a good

didn’t wanna meet

I asked cautiously.

caller, whatever you

chuckled and I couldn't

me and closed

up and his face

he coaxed me

noticed something was off and he narrowed his

What’s with that look on your

slightly and bit

thinking about this all

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

feel about you quitting your job,