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,

heard about?

"Nope,"he said simply.

"Why?"I asked.

it's an

person when you

as if he was joking, but I could tell

on.He sighed and paused for a beat before finally

Fine.

didn’t wanna do parent teacher conferences because I don’t know what I'll do if I have to see your

worried about meeting my

phone.Will

tell me

"Every little detail,"

see you in a few

made my way back to Tiff and

going on and on

face but Carrie watched

you heard? The art teacher, Mr.Hayes is

of topic

"He is?"

Tiff pretended to gasp.

contract for two years

such a bad

I asked cautiously.

"For his career? Yeah,"

in the world,

"What do you mean?"

asked again, afraid that he might be on

date Ms.Diaz, right? She probably broke his

Carrie let out

wasn't relieved, I

one

nudged my elbow to stop me

and

NYU! Let’s go

bit too loud

pulled my arm quickly and

"Thanks for that,"

I whispered to her.

happening? Is

"I think so,"

he did

"Of us.Yeah,"I sighed.

paused for a moment before saying, "He must

really

sucks that he has to sacrifice so much, but hey, at least this way you two

with

talk, Tiff and I went around looking at the

be thinking about colleges, but I couldn't help but be

to sacrifice so much..."I hated the word

to sacrifice

wanted him to have everything he ever

job, his career...all for a

even

parent teacher conferences, I told

of course, I was making way to lan’s apartment

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

looked like

greeted me with a quick kiss on

bunch

"It's alright,"he shrugged.

trailed and paced around the

pretended to play

"lan, what's going on?"

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

wanna meet your parents.But not like

my arms and raised my

that even mean? "I'm

I’m serious about us.

my future

a moment before saying, "But if your parents meet me now as your teacher and someday we

That would be confusing.

a good

you didn’t wanna meet my parents as my

I asked cautiously.

whatever you wanna

chuckled and I couldn't

took a step towards me and closed the

tilted my chin up and

lips found mine and he coaxed me into a long,

he noticed something was off and he narrowed his eyes at

is it? What’s with that look on your

slightly and bit my

about this all day

About that word ‘sacrifice’.

I don’t know how I feel about you quitting your job,